It only took two defensive plays for Bears defensive end Montez Sweat to affect the quarterback Sunday against the Ravens.

The seven-year veteran fired off the line of scrimmage unblocked as Baltimore tight end Mark Andrews ran right past him as he began his route and right tackle Roger Rosengarten went to double team defensive tackle Andrew Billings.

Sweat stutter-stepped to read Baltimore quarterback Tyler Huntley's eyes then darted toward him, wrapping Huntley up three yards behind the line of scrimmage before he could scramble away.

The sack, which led to a three-and-out, meant much more in the grand scheme of Sweat's career. It marked his 50th career sack just ahead of his 100th game played.

"It's just a credit to my hard work and dedication, the defenses I've been a part of and the people that's played around me, just to get to that milestone that a lot of people don't get to," Sweat told ChicagoBears.com. "But I also look around, and it makes me even more hungry to keep on going."

Sweat didn't intend to celebrate No. 50 in any way other than simply taking pride in the accomplishment. Third-year defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. planned differently.

The week before the Ravens game, Dexter alerted Sweat he was nearing 50 sacks and told him: "Hey, this week you got it. Get that 50th." Having confidence in the Sweat's ability to get home in Baltimore , Dexter began working on a gift to commemorate the moment for whenever it happened.

So when Sweat walked into the defensive line meeting room Wednesday afternoon, his teammates cheered as Dexter presented him with a frame of his jersey from Sunday's game and pictures of his previous two sacks.

"I just thought he should have it. 50 sacks is a huge milestone," Dexter told ChicagoBears.com. "It's cool for me to see it happen. Obviously, I'm chasing the same things he's chasing and also some of the stuff that he's already accomplished in his career. So just to see that, it was cool for me to be a part of that, be on the field for him to get his 50th sack."

Since the Bears traded for Sweat midway through the 2023 season, he has grown into a leader on the defense, especially for a young defensive line room featuring Austin Booker, Shemar Turner and Dexter – all of whom have been drafted in the past three years.

Sweat's teammates have both watched and benefitted from him growing as a leader, but Bears first-year defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett is a new witness to leadership Sweat provides.

"It was exciting to see," Garrett said. "We've got a room full of unselfish guys, and to have Dexter know that was a milestone that Tez hit, but then also have a gift, something that Montez can remember forever that he made for him — I think that it speaks to that room, and how they like each other, and how their relationships are built."

Sweat's sack in Baltimore marked his third of the season and was another example of the splash plays he's produced in recent weeks. Sweat forced fumbles in back-to-back games against the Commanders and Saints and recorded sacks in each of the past two contests (Saints and Ravens).

Garrett believes Sweat's recent success can be attributed to him honing in on areas of improvement during and after practice, doing extra film study as well as simply growing more comfortable in the defensive scheme and "finding where he fits."

Sweat echoed that his comfort in Dennis Allen's defense has helped him take advantage of takeaway or pressure opportunities. His teammates are noticing a surge in his performance as well.

"I think a lot of the work that he's put in is starting to come and show its head," veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett said. "So I think he's just trusting the process of grinding, being willing to learn, and take the coaching, and also when gameday comes, just go be his best self and trust that too."

Coach Ben Johnson added: "I think Sweat has started to ascend over the last few games. I'm pretty pleased with how he's playing."

As someone who has played in 156 NFL games, Jarrett understands how difficult it is to reach milestones like the one Sweat hit last weekend. He believes playing alongside Sweat has been mutually beneficial for both of them.

"He's special — just the combination of size, speed, athleticism and the ability to finish at the quarterback," Jarrett said. "He also has the knack to force the ball out when he gets to the quarterback. So, he's got a unique combination of that, whether it's athletic ability, with a matching mindset, that really makes him a special player. And I think the milestone says a lot about the type of player that he is.

"To reach 50 sacks in 100 games is a heck of a feat. And that just means there's so much more out there for him. So, it's definitely congratulations to him and I think it's a lot more to come, though. It's just the surface of what he really can accomplish."

In discussing Sweat's achievement and what's next for him, Garrett shared a similar sentiment as Jarrett: "It's part of the beginning for him. I think he has a lot more left."

When Sweat entered the league back in 2019 as the 26th overall pick out of Mississippi State, he didn't necessarily think about specific milestones like 50 sacks. He just wanted to start somewhere, but as Sweat evolved and gained experience, his work began to pay off and he began to see production.

While Sweat intends to fulfill the sentiments from his teammate and coach, he is first and foremost focused on being the best version of himself each game and helping the entire team be successful.

"I don't know what else is in store for me," Sweat said. "I really just focus on taking it one day at a time, one game at a time, one week at a time. I don't get too much more ahead of myself. I just attack the week and whatever that presents for me, that's what I take on. I really just want to do whatever I can do to help the team win."