Who Has the Most Fumbles in NFL History?

The answer may surprise you. Check out our list of the NFL players with the most fumbles in history.

Introduction

Welcome to our guide on who has the most fumbles in NFL history. This guide will take a look at the players who have coughed the ball up the most during their careers, as well as some of the context surrounding those fumbles. We’ll also try to answer some common questions about fumbles and how they’re recorded.

So whether you’re a diehard fan looking to settle a bet, or just a casual observer curious about this particular NFL record, read on for everything you need to know.

The Most Fumbles by NFL Team

A lot of people think that fumbles are a rare thing in the NFL, but the reality is that they happen quite often. In fact, there have been more than 9,000 fumbles in the NFL since 2000. That’s an average of more than two per team per game.

So who has the most fumbles in NFL history? That dubious distinction belongs to the Minnesota Vikings, who have coughed up the ball 1,155 times since they joined the league in 1961. That’s an average of nearly 30 fumbles per season.

The Vikings are followed by the Buffalo Bills (1,149), Detroit Lions (1,142), New York Jets (1,118) and Miami Dolphins (1,117).

Interestingly, three of the five teams with the most fumbles are located in cold-weather cities. That might have something to do with playing conditions late in the season when fumbles are more likely to occur.

The Most Fumbles in a Season

In the history of the NFL, there have been a handful of players who have had the dubious distinction of leading the league in fumbles in a given season. Here are the top five:

1. Michael Vick – 23 fumbles (2002)
2. Peyton Manning – 21 fumbles (1998)
3. Drew Brees – 20 fumbles (2007)
4. Tom Brady – 19 fumbles (2001)
5. Brett Favre – 18 fumbles (2005)

Interestingly, all of these players are quarterbacks except for Tom Brady, who is a wide receiver. This just goes to show that fumbling is not limited to any one position on the field.

The Most Fumbles in a Game

In an NFL game, there are bound to be a few fumbles. However, some players have a higher propensity for fumbling the football. In fact, there have been instances where a player has fumbled the ball multiple times in a single game.

In 1970, San Francisco 49ers running back Mike Thomas set the record for the most fumbles in a game when he coughed up the ball seven times against the New Orleans Saints. Thomas’s record would stand for nearly 40 years, until it was broken by Detroit Lions running back Reggie Bush in 2010. Bush fumbled six times in a game against the Green Bay Packers.

While Bush’s record is impressive, it’s worth noting that he only played in 10 games that season, so his average of 0.60 fumbles per game is not as impressive as Thomas’s 0.50 average over 14 games played.

The Most Fumbles by an NFL Player

The most fumbles by an NFL player in a career is 166, by Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Brooks. Brooks played his entire career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, from 1995 to 2008. He was a five-time All-Pro and was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2002.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there is no clear-cut answer to the question of who has the most fumbles in NFL history. Different players have had different amounts of fumbles over the course of their careers, and it is possible that the record for most fumbles in a career has been broken several times. However, due to the lack of clear data on fumbles, it is difficult to say definitively who holds the record.