Who Leads The NFL In Interceptions Thrown?

The NFL season is in full swing and there are plenty of storylines to keep track of. One interesting stat to keep an eye on is interceptions thrown. Who leads the league in this category so far?

NFL Interceptions Thrown Leaders

Throwing an interception in the NFL can be a back-breaker. It can swing momentum in a game and be the difference between a win and a loss. So, who are the guys that have thrown the most interceptions in NFL history?

Tom Brady

With 50 interceptions thrown in his career, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is the NFL’s all-time leader in this dubious distinction. Brady, who has played his entire career with the Patriots, has thrown an interception in every season he has been in the league.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young is second on the list with 46 interceptions thrown. Young, who played for the 49ers from 1987 to 1999, was a two-time Super Bowl champion and was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1992 and 1994.

Former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning is third on the list with 46 interceptions thrown. Manning, who played for the Colts from 1998 to 2011, is a five-time NFL MVP and was a two-time Super Bowl champion with the team.

Drew Brees

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees leads the NFL in interceptions thrown with 19. Brees, who is in his 18th season, has thrown for 3,865 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2019.

Eli Manning

Eli Manning is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Mississippi and was drafted as the first overall pick by the San Diego Chargers in the 2004 NFL Draft, but was immediately traded to the Giants, who in return gave up a package, highlighted by fourth overall pick Philip Rivers. Manning is one of four quarterbacks in NFL history withahi at least 45,000 career passing yards, 300 touchdown passes, and a career passer rating of over 85.0. He is also one of eight quarterbacks in NFL history to throw for over 40 touchdowns in a single season. Although statistics like touchdown-to-interception ratio and completion percentage tend to favor more recent QBs, Manning ranks sixth all time in most 4th quarter comebacks thrown with 36 and eighth all time in passer rating when trailing. In 2009, he led the Giants to victory in Super Bowl XLII over the New England Patriots, defeating them again four years later in Super Bowl XLVI; becoming the only quarterback to start and win multiple Super Bowls against two different teams coached by Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, considered by some to be two of the greatest coaches and quarterbacks, respectively, in NFL history.

Why Do These Players Lead The NFL In Interceptions Thrown?

Each NFL season, there are always a few players who find themselves leading the league in interceptions thrown. While this may not be the most desired stat to lead the league in, it is still an important stat nonetheless. So, why do these players find themselves leading the league in interceptions thrown? Let’s take a look.

Lack of focus

Lack of focus is one of the leading reasons why these players lead the NFL in interceptions thrown. When a quarterback is not focused on the task at hand, he is more likely to make a mistake that will cost his team points.

These quarterbacks need to learn to focus on their target and not let anything else distract them if they want to reduce the number of interceptions they throw.

Poor decision making

While there are many reasons why a quarterback might throw an interception, poor decision making is often the root cause. This can manifest itself in a number of ways, from forcing a pass into double coverage to lobbing a ball up for grabs in the red zone.

Whatever the situation, if a quarterback consistently makes bad decisions with the ball, it’s only a matter of time before he starts racking up interceptions. And that’s exactly what has happened with the quarterbacks on this list.

Poor mechanics

One explanation for why some quarterbacks seem to throw more interceptions than others is simply bad mechanics. If a quarterback doesn’t follow through on his throw or release the ball at the wrong time, the receiver may not be able to adjust and make the catch. This can result in an easy interception for the defense.

Some quarterbacks also have a habit of lofting the ball too much, which makes it easier for defenders to jump and make a play on the ball. If a quarterback lobs too many passes, it’s only a matter of time before one is intercepted. This type of pass is often seen as a riskier throw, which is why some quarterbacks are more hesitant to make this type of pass unless they’re in desperate need of a touchdown.