Aldon Smith to go after sack record

49ers linebacker Aldon Smith said his goal this season is to set the single-season sack record, which is 22.5 by Michael Strahan in 2001.

"It's a goal, but I'm not punching myself in the face at the end of the season if I don't get it," Smith said to NFL.com. "I'm young, and I'm learning a lot and I'm getting better. My goal is really just to get better every year. As long as I do that, if it was 14, then 19.5, at that rate it should keep going. Hopefully, I should be able to trump that record and keep going."

Smith had 19.5 sacks in 2012, and he reached that total in the first 13 games. He then got shut out from Week 15 straight through Super Bowl XLVII. He dealt with a shoulder injury to close the year, and Justin Smith going down didn't help.

This year, Aldon Smith is ready to go and take on the sack record.