# List of NFL career interceptions leaders

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. The National Football League (NFL) did not begin keeping official records until the 1932 season and did not begin tracking interceptions until 1940. 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.
There have been 39 players who have recorded at least 50 interceptions. Paul Krause is the all-time leader, with 81 interceptions. 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%). As of 2025, no active player has at least 40 interceptions, with free agent Patrick Peterson the active career leader at 36.

## Players with at least 50 interceptions

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

## Historical career interceptions leaders

NFL historical career interceptions leaders :
| No. | Reign | Player | Team(s) while leader | Ints | Season(s) |
| 1 | 1940 | Don Hutson | Green Bay Packers | 6 | 1940 |
| 1 | 1940 | Kent Ryan | Detroit Lions | 6 | 1940 |
| 1 | 1940 | Ace Parker | Brooklyn Dodgers | 6 | 1940 |
| 2 | 1941 | George McAfee | Chicago Bears | 10 | 1941 |