KANSAS CITY — The disappointment of missing out on the playoffs really dulled the emotions of Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston when it came to his four-sack game against San Diego and his 22-sack season.

Houston finished just a half-sack away from tying the NFL record for sacks in a season. He broke the Chiefs franchise record that was held for 24 years by the late Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Thomas with 20 sacks.

“You play to win a championship,” Houston said. “We fell short and it hurts. Individual records, it will mean something when I’m done playing, but it’s a team game. There’s nothing more important than putting that ring on your finger. That’s what I play this game for. I guess in the next couple weeks it will hit me, but right now I’m still disappointed that we are not playing next week.”

Houston earned the Deacon Jones Award for leading the NFL this season with his 22 sacks, and it comes in the final season of the four-year contract he signed in 2011 as a third-round draft choice out of the University of Georgia. The timing of his performance this season will be worth millions. Houston says that situation has not been part of his radar screen.

“I haven’t even thought about that,” Houston said.

Whether he has or hasn’t, Justin Houston will soon be a very rich man in dollars. He’s already a rich man in sacks.