Who has the most interceptions in a season for every NFL franchise?

Interception counts soared higher in this era, as this collection of names will reveal. Lax restrictions on defenders around midcentury gave defensive backs significant advantages, with passing accuracy also offering scant resemblance to modern generations. Many DBs capitalized. The Cardinals' best INT showing came via Nussbaumer, who nabbed 12 in his fourth NFL season. A four-INT game against the New York Bulldogs, in their first of three seasons of existence, inflated Nussbaumer's total, but he nabbed two apiece against the NFL runner-up Rams and then the crosstown-rival Bears to close out the season. 

One of the longest-tenured DBs in Falcons history, Case stayed 11 seasons. This was not a good era for the franchise, which made one playoff berth in that span. The 1984 second-round DB intercepted an NFL-most 10 passes in his fifth season. Case spent more time at cornerback in '88, moving to safety on a full-time basis later on. One of Case's thefts denied a Joe Montana-to-Jerry Rice TD at Candlestick Park; he also picked off two passes in a 20-0 win over the Packers. Earning his only Pro Bowl nod that year, Case finished his 12-year career with a stop in Dallas, winning a Super Bowl with the 1995 Cowboys.

As could be expected from the NFL's No. 7 all-time interceptor, Reed rules the Ravens' all-time INT list. His two most productive seasons each featured nine picks. The first season did not involve a Baltimore playoff berth, but it elevated the Miami alum to a higher stature and ushered in probably the greatest prime any safety has put together. Reed posted 358 return yards that year, which included a then-record 106-yard score in a win over the Browns. Four years later, Reed broke his own record with a 107-yard return on a Kevin Kolb pass against the Eagles. Reed's 1,590 INT return yards are the most all time by more than 100.

The Bills' two championships came during their AFL days, though neither of these INT seasons occurred during the franchise's mid-1960s heyday. Atkins operated as Buffalo's punter in 1961 as well, leading the league in yards per boot and interceptions. He and Janik notched 10 INTs to set the team record. One of Atkins' picks came against the AFL champion Oilers. Oddly, Janik also spent time during his career as a punter. This moonlighting crusade did not occur for the Bills, but his 10-INT season in 1967 did. A former Broncos draftee traded to the Bills, Janik took two picks back for scores that season. 

Evans' 11-year career included a role as a full-season starting cornerback for the dominant 1996 Packers team that claimed the Super Bowl XXXI crown. Two years later, he signed with the Panthers in free agency. In his fourth and final Carolina season, Evans snatched eight interceptions. The 2001 Panthers are best remembered for the 15-game losing streak that came after a Week 1 win, but Evans served as one of the woeful team's bright spots. Evans got there without notching a two-INT game, and he took a Jeff Garcia pass 39 yards to the house in Week 4. 

Before the Connor McGoverns and Brandon Marshalls overlapped, the NFL featured an extended two-Mark Carrier period. After the wide receiver had established himself, the Bears safety made a splashy debut. Helping Mike Ditka's team stay atop the NFC Central, Carrier intercepted an NFL-most 10 passes as a rookie. While the All-Pro did not do much with them (39 return yards), he also forced five fumbles in a dynamic opening salvo. Carrier picked off future Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien thrice, one of which saving a touchdown, in a Week 14 Washington matchup. The 1990 first-rounder played 11 NFL seasons.

A 2000 first-round pick, O'Neal made a run at the Broncos' single-season mark by intercepting nine passes in 2001. He did reach the Bengals' standard, breaking a Ken Riley record by snaring 10 INTs. The cornerback's second Cincinnati season doubled as the Bengals' first playoff berth in 15 years; O'Neal's coverage was a key part of that Marvin Lewis-led charge. A hat-trick performance against the Vikings' Daunte Culpepper powered O'Neal, who later intercepted Brett Favre twice -- during a 29-INT Favre season -- in a 21-14 Bengals win. A former free agent pickup, O'Neal spent four seasons in Cincinnati. 

Terry Bradshaw soared to MVP honors in 1978, the greatest Steelers season, but the future Hall of Famer/TV everyman threw two picks to Darden in what became a 10-INT season for the career-long Browns safety. A fourth-round rookie cornerback in 2001, Henry matched that total. Darden, who entered the NFL after a momentous INT as a Michigan Wolverine against Ohio State, played 10 seasons in Cleveland. Henry played four during a nine-year career. Three of Henry's thefts came against Lions QB Stoney Case, who threw seven INTs in a Week 2 matchup. Three more came against Ravens QB Elvis Grbac weeks later.

Forty years after Walls' 11-interception season, Diggs became the first player to reach that total in a single slate. As the NFL was seeing a passing boom -- with defensive restrictions put in place -- Walls delivered a season for the ages. After his 11 picks during the regular season, the rookie free agent picked off Joe Montana twice in the epic 1981 NFC championship encounter. Walls led the NFL in both 1981 and the strike-shortened '82, when he grabbed seven picks. Developing an earned reputation for gambling on plays, Diggs posted picks in 10 Cowboys games. He took two back for scores, against the Eagles and Patriots, en route to first-team All-Pro acclaim.

Gonsoulin set the bar a bit too high for the likes of Champ Bailey and Deltha O'Neal, intercepting 11 passes in the Broncos' debut season. A long-serving safety later enshrined in the Broncos' Ring of Fame, Gonsoulin did much of his damage against the Bills. He intercepted Buffalo starter Tommy O'Connell four times in the teams' first-ever meeting -- a 27-21 Denver win. By the end of Week 2 in the AFL's first season, Gonsoulin had already snared six INTs. He played seven seasons with the team, earning five Pro Bowl nods. His 43 INTs are second in Broncos history.

The Lions deployed an elite secondary during most of the 1950s. Over a period in the 1950s and early '60s, the Lions rostered four Hall of Fame DBs in Christiansen, Night Train Lane, Yale Lary and Dick LeBeau. Christiansen did not play with Lane or LeBeau, but he made crucial contributions during the Lions' franchise apex. The franchise's first playoff berth as the Lions came after 12 Christiansen picks. The agile safety dominated during the second of six straight first-team All-Pro seasons. Also a Pro Bowler, Doll overlapped with Christiansen for two seasons. One year prior to that, he finished off a two-year stretch that included 23 INTs.

Operating as both a passer and defensive back during the NFL's two-way era, Comp played an important role in Packers history. He served as the primary passer on Curly Lambeau's final championship-winning team, the 1944 squad. A year prior, Comp set the Green Bay INT record by picking off 10 passes. This came during Comp's rookie year. The third-round DB then led the NFL in passing yards for the Pack's title-winning squad, playing seven seasons with the franchise. 

The Jets exposed Coleman to the 2002 expansion draft, as the Texans became the league's most recent debuting team. They chose the cornerback in the seventh round, picking ex-Jets -- Aaron Glenn the other -- to start at corner. Glenn was the higher-profile name, but Coleman still holds the team's INT record -- with seven. Houston's No. 2 corner intercepted Jay Fiedler twice in a season-opening win over the Dolphins, the second coming to close out the 21-20 victory. The six-year Jet played four seasons with the Texans, outlasting Glenn with the franchise.

Keane served as one of his era's many ballhawks, intercepting 21 passes between the 1952 and '53 seasons. His 1953 slate, an 11-pick campaign, is the Colts' record. With the Colts in their fourth season since moving from the All-American Football Conference, Keane offered a strong debut in Baltimore. His 10-INT season came with a franchise that folded (the original Dallas Texans). He had come to Dallas as part of a 12-player trade with the Rams, who acquired Hall of Famer Les Richter. Keane played one more season with the Colts, finishing his career with the Cardinals in 1954.

Jalen Ramsey reached a higher ceiling, but Mathis worked as Jacksonville's No. 1 cornerback for much longer. Mathis' Jaguars peak came in his fourth season, when he intercepted eight passes and zoomed to first-team All-Pro honors. Mathis intercepted Ben Roethlisberger twice in a Jags Week 3 win over the defending champion Steelers and added two more over Offensive Rookie of the Year Vince Young weeks later. Mathis spent 10 years with the Jaguars, starting more games (129) than any other Jags defender, finishing his career after playing three more years with the Lions. 

One of six Hall of Famers on the 1969 Super Bowl IV-winning Chiefs defense, Thomas stuck around in Kansas City for nine more seasons. The 1974 season did well to elevate the enduring cornerback into Canton. Thomas intercepted an NFL-high 12 passes in 1974, creating the sizable gap that exists between himself (58) and the next-closest interceptor in Chiefs history. Thomas turned two of those 12 picks into scores, intercepting Joe Namath in Week 1 and Fran Tarkenton in Week 14. Thomas' 73-yard pick-six stalled the Vikings' momentum en route to Super Bowl IX. 

Stickum was a hell of a product. A smothering cornerback who rode the now-illegal tool to a staggering interception total, Hayes played a lead role -- on defense, at least -- in the Raiders' Super Bowl XV victory. Hayes snatched 13 regular-season interceptions, had four more called back by penalty and grabbed five more during Oakland's playoff run. This was Hayes' only All-Pro season; he made it count as Defensive Player of the Year. Although the CB picked off seven passes in 1979, he never topped four after his dominant 1980 slate. Giving the Raiders a consistent edge, Hayes intercepted a pass in 12 of the Raiders' 13 games and managed all five of his playoff picks in the AFC playoffs.

This became one of the more memorable INT seasons. Cromartie intercepted 10 passes in his second season, a first-team All-Pro campaign. Three of those came against Peyton Manning during a nationally televised 23-21 midseason win over the Colts. The Florida State alum made a leaping one-handed grab to snare one of those INTs. The former first-round pick also delivered a historic 109-yard field goal return a week earlier in Minnesota, keeping his toes off the endline and sprinting back for a score in a game that also featured Adrian Peterson's single-game rushing record. 

Lane has held the NFL single-season INT record for more than 70 years. Dabbling on offense and famous for a now-illegal clothesline tackle (and having objections to air travel), Lane was one of the greatest defensive backs in NFL history. He intercepted 14 passes as a rookie, posting 298 return yards and two TDs. The Rams signed Lane as an undrafted player but only deployed him in their secondary for two seasons. They traded Lane to the Cardinals in 1954, and he finished his career as part of a Hall of Famer-laden secondary in Detroit. The athletic cornerback's 68 career picks still sit fourth in NFL history.

The Dolphins made Byron Jones the NFL's highest-paid cornerback in March 2020. They soon had a problem on their hands, as Howard began lobbying for a new deal after quickly showing he was the better player. The ballhawk, who had just signed a Miami extension in 2019, intercepted 10 passes during the '20 season. Howard's slate included no multi-INT games or pick-sixes. The Dolphins eventually rewarded him with new money. Decades before such a scenario was in play, Westmoreland nabbed 10 picks for the second-year Dolphins franchise. The corner returned one for a score.

The NFL's all-time interception kingpin also holds the Vikings' single-season mark, snaring 10 in his 12th season. Krause's single-season high came as a rookie in 1964 (12), but he accumulated that total with Washington. Minnesota acquired Krause two years later, and he became a linchpin for several elite defenses that powered the franchise to four Super Bowls. By the time Krause's 16-year career ended, he had intercepted 81 passes. Krause notched four multi-INT games for the defending NFC champion Vikings in 1975; the four-time Super Bowl starter returned a fumble 86 yards for a score against the Lions that season.

Originally a 28th-round Steelers draft choice in 1959, Hall played one season in the NFL before making his way to the Patriots by 1961. Playing both safety and cornerback in his AFL career, Hall saw more time at corner in 1964 and intercepted 11 passes. A year after helping the then-Boston Patriots to the 1963 AFL championship game, Hall picked off both the QBs from the Chargers' title-winning team -- Tobin Rote and John Hadl -- in an early-season Pats win. He also intercepted two passes in a season finale loss to the 1964 AFL champion Bills.

Drafted by a Lions team rostering four defensive Hall of Famers (including two in the secondary), Whitsell saw more playing time after a trade to the Bears. After starting for Chicago's 1963 NFL championship-winning team, Whitsell eventually found himself exposed in the 1967 expansion draft. The Saints plucked the then-31-year-old cornerback and saw him deliver a 10-interception season in the franchise's debut campaign. Whitsell returned INTs for scores against the Cowboys and Eagles that season, the first of his three with the startup organization. 

A standout during one of the great periods in Giants history, Patton earned five straight first-team All-Pro nods from 1958-62. The first of those seasons matched the team record of 11 interceptions. Patton tied Schnellbacher's mark from seven years prior. The duo did not play together, with Schnellbacher retiring after his 1951 campaign. Schnellbacher had two 11-INT seasons, the other coming for the All-American Football Conference's shortlived New York Yankees franchise. Patton debuted as a Giant in 1955, becoming a starting safety for Tom Landry's innovative 4-3 defense as a rookie and remaining in the lineup until 1965.

Undrafted out of Oregon State, Paulson broke into the AFL as a member of the New York Titans. He retired not long before the Jets, whom the Titans morphed into, won Super Bowl III. Paulson set a now-60-year-old team record in his fourth season, however, intercepting 12 passes. Playing both cornerback and safety, Paulson earned two Pro Bowl nods. He nabbed two picks off of both Len Dawson and Tobin Rote during the 1964 season, taking the errant Dawson pass back for a 32-yard score. 

This space has placed Bradley among the best players to never play in a postseason game ; his 1971 season played into that assessment. Bradley led the NFL in interceptions in both 1971 and '72; the first of those slates included 11 thefts. A third-round Eagles draftee in 1969, Bradley became a starting safety in his third season. He proved a quick study, intercepting Roger Staubach and Craig Morton early in the Cowboys' first Super Bowl-winning season. Bradley later intercepted Super Bowl VII starter Billy Kilmer twice against Washington. Bradley's 34 INTs as an Eagle remain tied for the franchise most. 

One of the best seasons on this list, Blount dominated to a degree that the NFL eventually introduced radical changes to the passing game. Blount's 11-INT showing earned him Defensive Player of the Year honors, with the physical 6-foot-3 cornerback thriving on one of the greatest defenses in NFL history. The Steelers soared to the Super Bowl X title in 1975, winning 11 straight games after a Week 2 loss. Blount did all of his INT damage during Pittsburgh's streak, benefiting from a historic front-seven array. The Hall of Famer's Steel Curtain work later prompted rule changes, one of which named the "Mel Blount Rule" designed to restrict DBs' downfield contact. 

A 1985 injury brought a drastic step from Lott in '86. The future Hall of Fame defender returned to the field for his sixth season without part of his pinkie finger, which was amputated in a procedure that offseason. The cornerback-turned-safety did not take long to adjust, intercepting 10 passes and earning his first All-Pro nod as a safety. Two of those picks came against Dan Marino, and another helped the 49ers clinch the NFC West in a Week 16 win over the Rams. Lott reached the 10-INT plateau despite missing two games. Also a safety, Baker played just three seasons -- all with the 49ers. He reached 10 INTs in the second of those years.

Easley and Harris played together for five seasons, operating as the Seahawks' starting safeties during that period. The duo remains atop the franchise single-season INT list decades later, each snagging 10 picks. Harris got there first, reaching double figures in Easley's rookie year. The 1978 seventh-rounder started that season by delivering a pick-six on eventual MVP Ken Anderson. On his way to the Hall of Fame, Easley -- a top-five draftee in 1981 -- matched Harris with two pick-sixes during his 10-INT year. The Seahawks went 12-4 in '84, boosted considerably by Easley's performance. One of Easley's TDs came during a 45-0 rout over the Chiefs that featured four Seattle pick-sixes.

The 2001 Buccaneers defense deployed four Hall of Famers, with defensive end Simeon Rice being a fringe candidate as well. Barber joined John Lynch as Canton-bound Bucs DBs, and a key part of the versatile cornerback's case stemmed from his 2001 season. Delivering pioneering work in the slot, Barber picked off 10 passes in his fifth season. Barber earned first-team All-Pro honors for his contributions on the Derrick Brooks- and Warren Sapp-fronted defense. Tampa Bay's '01 edition stalled in the wild-card round, but Barber played a lead role in the team navigating its Eagles hurdle a year later, producing a game-sealing pick-six in the NFC title game.

From the 1978 playoffs through Week 12 of the 1979 season, Reinfeldt intercepted 15 passes. He matched the then-Houston franchise record by reaching 12 in '79. The former undrafted safety (and future Titans GM) intercepted a pass in nine of the Oilers' first 12 games, helping the team journey to a second straight AFC championship game. Reinfeldt picked off past and future MVPs, including Terry Bradshaw and Joe Theismann, and finished as the runner-up to Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon in Defensive Player of the Year voting. A former 23rd-round Cardinals draftee, Glick nabbed INTs in 11 of Houston's 14 games. This included 180 return yards and a TD. 

Even all-time INT leader Paul Krause could not match where Sandifer went, as 12 picks are not good enough on Washington's single-season list. Sandifer is tied for the second-most interceptions in a season, tallying 13 as a rookie. The fifth-round DB delivered one of the greatest rookie years in NFL history, turning his 13 thefts into 258 return yards and two touchdowns. The Boston Yanks, in their fifth and final season, were responsible for Sandifer's two defensive TDs that season. Sandifer intercepted four passes in that midseason game. Despite playing only six seasons, Sandifer suited up for six NFL teams.