List of National Football League annual interceptions leaders

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An interception, also known as a pick/INT is a gridiron football concept involving a pass being caught by an opposition player, who usually gains possession for his team. Record-keeping for interception counts in the National Football League (NFL) began in 1940. The record for most interceptions in a single season is held by Night Train Lane, who logged 14 interceptions as a rookie in 1950, while playing for the Los Angeles Rams.[1] Previously Dan Sandifer of Washington, Spec Sanders and Lester Hayes jointly held the record, earning 13 interceptions, in 1948 and 1950, respectively. The record for most league-leading seasons in interceptions is 3. This was first achieved by Everson Walls, who led the league in interceptions in 1981, 1982, and again in 1985.[2] Ed Reed was later able to match Walls, by leading the league in 2004, 2008, and 2010.[3] Bill Bradley became the first player to lead the league in interceptions in consecutive seasons (1971 and 1972).[4] The aforementioned Walls matched Bradley with his 1981 and 1982 efforts. The most recent player to lead the league in interceptions was Trevon Diggs, who finished with 11 on the season for the 2021 Dallas Cowboys. Additionally, New York Giants players have led the league in interceptions in more seasons (7) than any other team, but it has not happened since 1968.

Interception leaders[]

Don Hutson co-led the league in interceptions in 1940.
As a rookie, Dick Lane set the record for interceptions in a season in 1952.
Paul Krause led the league in interceptions as a rookie in 1964 and holds the career record for interceptions.
Ed Reed led the league a co-record thrice – in 2004, 2008, and 2010.
Set record*
Year Player Ints Team
1940 Don Hutson *
Ace Parker *
Kent Ryan *
6 Green Bay Packers
Brooklyn Dodgers
Detroit Lions
1941 Marshall Goldberg *
Art Jones *
7 Chicago Cardinals
Pittsburgh Steelers
1942 Bulldog Turner * 8 Chicago Bears
1943 Sammy Baugh * 11 Washington Redskins
1944 Howie Livingston 9 New York Giants
1945 Roy Zimmerman 7 Philadelphia Eagles
1946 Bill Dudley 10 Pittsburgh Steelers
1947 Frank Reagan
Frank Seno
10 New York Giants
Boston Yanks
1948 Dan Sandifer * 13 Washington Redskins
1949 Bob Nussbaumer 12 Chicago Cardinals
1950 Spec Sanders 13 New York Yanks
1951 Otto Schnellbacher 11 New York Giants
1952 Dick Lane * 14 Los Angeles Rams
1953 Jack Christiansen 12 Detroit Lions
1954 Dick Lane (2) 10 Chicago Cardinals
1955 Will Sherman 11 Los Angeles Rams
1956 Lindon Crow 11 Chicago Cardinals
1957 Jack Butler
Jack Christiansen
Milt Davis
10 Pittsburgh Steelers
Detroit Lions
Baltimore Colts
1958 Jimmy Patton 11 New York Giants
1959 Milt Davis (2)
Dean Derby
Don Shinnick
7 Baltimore Colts
Pittsburgh Steelers
Baltimore Colts
1960 Dave Baker
Jerry Norton
10 San Francisco 49ers
St. Louis Cardinals
1961 Dick Lynch 9 New York Giants
1962 Willie Wood 9 Green Bay Packers
1963 Dick Lynch (2)
Rosey Taylor
9 New York Giants
Chicago Bears
1964 Paul Krause 12 Washington Redskins
1965 Bobby Boyd 9 Baltimore Colts
1966 Larry Wilson 10 St. Louis Cardinals
1967 Lem Barney
Dave Whitsell
10 Detroit Lions
New Orleans Saints
1968 Willie Williams 10 New York Giants
1969 Mel Renfro 10 Dallas Cowboys
1970 Johnny Robinson 10 Kansas City Chiefs
1971 Bill Bradley 11 Philadelphia Eagles
1972 Bill Bradley (2) 9 Philadelphia Eagles
1973 Dick Anderson
Mike Wagner
8 Miami Dolphins
Pittsburgh Steelers
1974 Emmitt Thomas 12 Kansas City Chiefs
1975 Mel Blount 11 Pittsburgh Steelers
1976 Monte Jackson 10 Los Angeles Rams
1977 Lyle Blackwood 10 Baltimore Colts
1978 Thom Darden 10 Cleveland Browns
1979 Mike Reinfeldt 12 Houston Oilers
1980 Lester Hayes 13 Oakland Raiders
1981 Everson Walls 11 Dallas Cowboys
1982 Everson Walls (2) 7 Dallas Cowboys
1983 Mark Murphy 9 Washington Redskins
1984 Kenny Easley 10 Seattle Seahawks
1985 Everson Walls (3) 9 Dallas Cowboys
1986 Ronnie Lott 10 San Francisco 49ers
1987 Barry Wilburn 9 Washington Redskins
1988 Scott Case 10 Atlanta Falcons
1989 Felix Wright 9 Cleveland Browns
1990 Mark Carrier 10 Chicago Bears
1991 Ronnie Lott (2) 8 Los Angeles Raiders
1992 Henry Jones
Audray McMillian
8 Buffalo Bills
Minnesota Vikings
1993 Nate Odomes
Eugene Robinson
9 Buffalo Bills
Seattle Seahawks
1994 Eric Turner
Aeneas Williams
9 Cleveland Browns
Arizona Cardinals
1995 Orlando Thomas 9 Minnesota Vikings
1996 Tyrone Braxton
Keith Lyle
9 Denver Broncos
St. Louis Rams
1997 Ryan McNeil 9 St. Louis Rams
1998 Ty Law 9 New England Patriots
1999 Donnie Abraham
James Hasty
Sam Madison
Troy Vincent
Rod Woodson
7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Kansas City Chiefs
Miami Dolphins
Philadelphia Eagles
Baltimore Ravens
2000 Darren Sharper 9 Green Bay Packers
2001 Ronde Barber
Anthony Henry
10 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Cleveland Browns
2002 Brian Kelly
Rod Woodson (2)
8 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Oakland Raiders
2003 Tony Parrish
Brian Russell
9 San Francisco 49ers
Minnesota Vikings
2004 Ed Reed 9 Baltimore Ravens
2005 Ty Law (2)
Deltha O'Neal
10 New York Jets
Cincinnati Bengals
2006 Champ Bailey
Asante Samuel
10 Denver Broncos
New England Patriots
2007 Antonio Cromartie 10 San Diego Chargers
2008 Ed Reed (2) 9 Baltimore Ravens
2009 Jarius Byrd
Asante Samuel (2)
Darren Sharper
Charles Woodson
9 Buffalo Bills
Philadelphia Eagles
New Orleans Saints
Green Bay Packers
2010 Ed Reed (3) 8 Baltimore Ravens
2011 Kyle Arrington
Eric Weddle
Charles Woodson (2)
7 New England Patriots
San Diego Chargers
Green Bay Packers
2012 Tim Jennings 9 Chicago Bears
2013 Richard Sherman 8 Seattle Seahawks
2014 Glover Quin 7 Detroit Lions
2015 Reggie Nelson
Marcus Peters
8 Cincinnati Bengals
Kansas City Chiefs
2016 Casey Hayward 7 San Diego Chargers
2017 Kevin Byard
Darius Slay
8 Tennessee Titans
Detroit Lions
2018 Kyle Fuller
Xavien Howard
Damontae Kazee
7 Chicago Bears
Miami Dolphins
Atlanta Falcons
2019 Stephon Gilmore
Anthony Harris
Tre'Davious White
6 New England Patriots
Minnesota Vikings
Buffalo Bills
2020 Xavien Howard (2) 10 Miami Dolphins
2021 Trevon Diggs 11 Dallas Cowboys

Other leagues[]

All-America Football Conference (AAFC):

Year Player Ints Team
1946 Tommy Colella 10 Cleveland Browns
1947 Tommy Colella
Len Eshmont
Bill Kellagher
6 Cleveland Browns
San Francisco 49ers
Chicago Rockets
1948 Otto Schnellbacher 11 New York Yankees
1949 Jim Cason 9 San Francisco 49ers

American Football League (AFL):

Year Player Ints Team
1960 Goose Gonsoulin 11 Denver Broncos
1961 Billy Atkins 10 Buffalo Bills
1962 Lee Riley 11 Titans of New York
1963 Fred Glick 12 Houston Oilers
1964 Dainard Paulson 12 New York Jets
1965 W. K. Hicks 9 Houston Oilers
1966 Bobby Hunt
Johnny Robinson
10 Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
1967 Miller Farr
Tom Janik
Dick Westmoreland
10 Houston Oilers
Buffalo Bills
Miami Dolphins
1968 Dave Grayson 10 Oakland Raiders
1969 Emmitt Thomas 9 Kansas City Chiefs

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Hunter, Justin (July 8, 2012). "Why Dick Lane's Interception Record Will Never Fall". Football Nation. Archived from the original on October 16, 2014. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  2. ^ "Everson Walls". Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  3. ^ "Texans cut Ed Reed; Foster to IR". ESPN. November 13, 2013. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  4. ^ Richards, Matt (September 24, 2004). "Bradley's legend starts new chapter at Baylor". Baylor.edu. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
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