Aldon Smith has said that beating Michael Strahan's record for most sacks in a single NFL season is a goal of his.

The San Francisco 49ers linebacker finished the 2012 season three sacks short of the former New York Giants' defensive end's 22.5 sack record that was set in 2001.

The 23-year-old told NFL Network: "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.

"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 made a total of 66 tackles last season.