List of NFL career interceptions leaders

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In American football, an interception (INT), also known as a pick, occurs when a pass intended for a player of the same team is caught by an opposition player, who then gains possession for their team.[1][2] The National Football League (NFL) did not begin keeping official records until the 1932 season and did not begin tracking interceptions until 1940.[3][4] As a result of the AFL–NFL merger, league record books also recognize statistics from the American Football League (AFL), which operated from 1960 to 1969 before being absorbed into the NFL in 1970.[5][6]

There have been 39 players who have recorded at least 50 interceptions. Paul Krause is the all-time leader, with 81 interceptions.[7] Due to rule changes and increasingly detailed offensive schemes, among other factors, the rate of interceptions has dropped considerably from 1971 (5.78%) to 2018 (2.37%).[7] As of 2026, no active player has at least 40 interceptions.

Players with at least 50 interceptions

More information Symbol, Meaning ...
Key
Symbol Meaning
Ints The total number of interceptions the player had
† Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
^ Active player
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More information Rank, Player ...
NFL career interceptions leaders
Rank Player Position Team(s) Ints Refs
1 Paul Krause † Safety Washington Redskins (1964–1967) 81 [8]
Minnesota Vikings (1968–1979)
2 Emlen Tunnell † Defensive back New York Giants (1948–1958) 79 [9]
Green Bay Packers (1959–1961)
3 Rod Woodson † Defensive back Pittsburgh Steelers (1987–1996) 71 [10]
San Francisco 49ers (1997)
Baltimore Ravens (1998–2001)
Oakland Raiders (2002–2003)
4 Dick Lane † Cornerback Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953) 68 [11]
Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959)
Detroit Lions (1960–1965)
5 Ken Riley † Cornerback Cincinnati Bengals (1969–1983) 65 [12]
Charles Woodson † Defensive back Oakland Raiders (1998–2005, 2013–2015) [13]
Green Bay Packers (2006–2012)
7 Ed Reed † Safety Baltimore Ravens (2002–2012) 64 [14]
Houston Texans (2013)
New York Jets (2013)
8 Ronnie Lott † Defensive back San Francisco 49ers (1981–1990) 63 [15]
Los Angeles Raiders (1991–1992)
New York Jets (1993–1994)
Darren Sharper Safety Green Bay Packers (1997–2004) [16]
Minnesota Vikings (2005–2008)
New Orleans Saints (2009–2010)
10 Dave Brown Defensive back Pittsburgh Steelers (1975) 62 [17]
Seattle Seahawks (1976–1986)
Green Bay Packers (1987–1989)
Dick LeBeau † Defensive back Detroit Lions (1959–1972) [18]
12 Emmitt Thomas † Defensive back Kansas City Chiefs (1966–1978) 58 [19]
13 Mel Blount † Defensive back Pittsburgh Steelers (1970–1983) 57 [20]
Bobby Boyd Cornerback Baltimore Colts (1960–1968) [21]
Eugene Robinson Safety Seattle Seahawks (1985–1995) [22]
Green Bay Packers (1996–1997)
Atlanta Falcons (1998–1999)
Carolina Panthers (2000)
Johnny Robinson † Defensive back Dallas Texans / Kansas City Chiefs (1960–1971) [23]
Everson Walls Cornerback Dallas Cowboys (1981–1989) [24]
New York Giants (1990–1992)
Cleveland Browns (1992–1993)
18 Lem Barney † Cornerback Detroit Lions (1967–1977) 56 [25]
Pat Fischer Defensive back St. Louis Cardinals (1961–1967) [26]
Washington Redskins (1968–1977)
20 Aeneas Williams † Defensive back Phoenix / Arizona Cardinals (1991–2000) 55 [27]
St. Louis Rams (2001–2004)
21 Darrell Green † Defensive back Washington Redskins (1983–2002) 54 [28]
Willie Brown † Cornerback Denver Broncos (1963–1966) [29]
Oakland Raiders (1967–1978)
Eric Allen † Cornerback Philadelphia Eagles (1988–1994) [30]
New Orleans Saints (1995–1997)
Oakland Raiders (1998–2001)
24 Ty Law † Cornerback New England Patriots (1995–2004) 53 [31]
New York Jets (2005, 2008)
Kansas City Chiefs (2006–2007)
Denver Broncos (2009)
Deion Sanders † Cornerback Atlanta Falcons (1989–1993) [32]
San Francisco 49ers (1994)
Dallas Cowboys (1995–1999)
Washington Redskins (2000)
Baltimore Ravens (2004–2005)
26 Champ Bailey † Cornerback Washington Redskins (1999–2003) 52 [33]
Denver Broncos (2004–2013)
Jack Butler † Defensive back Pittsburgh Steelers (1951–1959) [34]
Bobby Dillon † Defensive back Green Bay Packers (1952–1959) [35]
Jimmy Patton Safety New York Giants (1955–1966) [36]
Mel Renfro † Defensive back Dallas Cowboys (1964–1977) [37]
Larry Wilson † Safety St. Louis Cardinals (1960–1972) [38]
32 Bobby Bryant Defensive back Minnesota Vikings (1968–1980) 51 [39]
Asante Samuel Cornerback New England Patriots (2003–2007) [40]
Philadelphia Eagles (2008–2011)
Atlanta Falcons (2012–2013)
Donnie Shell † Defensive back Pittsburgh Steelers (1974–1987) [41]
35 Terrell Buckley Defensive back Green Bay Packers (1992–1994) 50 [42]
Miami Dolphins (1995–1999, 2003)
Denver Broncos (2000)
New England Patriots (2001–2002)
New York Jets (2004)
New York Giants (2005)
Don Burroughs Safety Los Angeles Rams (1955–1959) [43]
Philadelphia Eagles (1960–1964)
Deron Cherry Safety Kansas City Chiefs (1981–1991) [44]
John Harris Safety Seattle Seahawks (1978–1985) [45]
Minnesota Vikings (1986–1988)
Yale Lary † Defensive back Detroit Lions (1952–1964) [46]
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Historical career interceptions leaders

More information No., Reign ...
NFL historical career interceptions leaders
No. Reign Player Team(s) while leader Ints Season(s) Refs
1 1940 Don Hutson† Green Bay Packers 6 1940 [47]
Ace Parker† Brooklyn Dodgers [47]
Kent Ryan Detroit Lions [47]
2 1941 George McAfee† Chicago Bears 10 1941 [48]
3 1942 Don Hutson† Green Bay Packers 14 1942 [49]
4 1943–1948 Sammy Baugh† Washington Redskins 23 1943 [50]
27 1944 [51]
31 1945–1948 [52][53]
5 Tied 1948 Irv Comp Green Bay Packers 1948 [53]
1949–1950 34 1949–1950 [54][55]
6 1951 Frank Reagan Philadelphia Eagles 35 1951 [56]
7 1952–1978 Emlen Tunnell† New York Giants (1952–1958)
Green Bay Packers (1959–1961)		 40 1952 [57]
46 1953 [58]
54 1954 [59]
61 1955 [60]
67 1956 [61]
73 1957 [62]
74 1958 [63]
76 1959 [64]
79 1960–1978 [65][66]
8 1979–present Paul Krause† Minnesota Vikings 81 1979 [67][68]
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See also

References

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