During Week 10 of the 2024 NFL season, Jared Goff put up some surprising passing numbers. The Detroit Lions quarterback threw four interceptions in the first half and was up to five by the third quarter. Is Goff anywhere close to the most interceptions in a game in NFL history? Here are the single-game and single-season interception records.
What Is the Record for Most Interceptions Thrown in a Single Game?
1) Jim Hardy, Chicago Cardinals – 8
Date: September 24, 1950
Opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
The single-game record for picks is eight, done by Jim Hardy of the Chicago Cardinals in 1950. Hardy was actually an accomplished USC quarterback who led the Trojans to victory in the Rose Bowl in 1944 and ’45.
The wildest part of Hardy’s 1950 season is that he actually went on to make the Pro Bowl…despite leading the NFL with 24 picks. However, his eight-pick performance came in the season-opener, and ended in a 45-7 loss to the Eagles.
“I felt so bad that day,” Hardy said to Football Digest, “that after the game I was wishing I was a mole so that I might burrow my way out of the place under the grass.”
“You know, people will still call me today if a game is on TV and a quarterback has thrown several interceptions and say `Hey Jim, he only needs two or three more to beat your record.'”
T-2) Ty Detmer, Detroit Lions – 7
Date: September 23, 2001
Opponent: Cleveland Browns
Two of the most hapless franchises of the 2000s combined for an unforgettable game in Week 2 of the 2001 season – but not in a good way.
Ty Detmer’s seven interceptions are the most thrown by a player in a game in the last 40 seasons.
September 23, 2001: Homecoming🏈
• Ty Detmer won the Heisman Trophy
• Ty Detmer started at QB for CLE in monumental '99 Return game
• Ty Detmer also threw 7 INTs in 1 game against us #DawgPound D dominates in 24-14 win vs. #OnePride #INT #INT #INT #INT #INT #INT #INT pic.twitter.com/UdzQnhKhIW— Mr. Cleveland Sports (@MrCleveland_216) September 23, 2024
Detroit would lose to Cleveland, 24-14. Shockingly, Detmer wasn’t benched – he started the next week, an even uglier 35-0 loss to the eventual NFC champion St. Louis Rams – but he would make only three more starts the rest of his career.
T-2) Steve DeBerg, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 7
Date: September 7, 1986
Opponent: San Francisco 49ers
Better known as the oldest quarterback to ever start a game, a younger DeBerg had his roughest day as a 32-year-old for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In their season-opener vs. the San Francisco 49ers, DeBerg threw seven picks in a 31-7 loss.
DeBerg was benched after two more picks in a Week 2 loss. However, he found more success with the Kansas City Chiefs in the early-90s and played parts of eight more seasons after his debacle.
T-2) Ken Stabler, Oakland Raiders – 7
Date: October 16, 1977
Opponent: Denver Broncos
In a matchup of 4-0 teams, Ken Stabler self-immolated in a 30-7 loss to the Denver Broncos. The Snake had a legendary Hall of Fame run, but threw seven picks in one of the worst games of his career.
The Raiders would also lose to the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, which was Denver’s first Super Bowl appearance (they would go on to lose to the Dallas Cowboys).
T-2) Tommy Wade, Pittsburgh Steelers – 7
Date: December 12, 1965
Opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
The pre-70s Pittsburgh Steelers had a lot of rough moments. One of the worst came for a Steelers team that entered 2-10 in 1965 against the in-state rival Philadelphia Eagles.
Remarkably, Tommy Wade didn’t even start the game. Bill Nielsen was credited with the start but went only 2-for-5 with two interceptions of his own before exiting. The Steelers would lose 47-13, and the nine total team interceptions are tied for the single-game NFL record.
T-2) Zeke Bratkowski, Chicago Bears – 7
Date: October 2, 1960
Opponent: Baltimore Colts
Zeke Bratkowski played five seasons for the Chicago Bears. His final season for the club in 1960 saw him throw just six touchdowns to 21 interceptions, with a third of those picks coming in a 42-7 loss to the Baltimore Colts.
Bratkowski would go on to play nine more seasons, including seven with the rival Green Bay Packers.
T-2) Glen Dobbs, Los Angeles Dons – 7
Date: December 5, 1948
Opponent: San Francisco 49ers
This is technically an AAFC game, which doesn’t officially count as an NFL record. The Los Angeles Dons played four AAFC seasons, and unlike their opponents in this game, were not eventually admitted to the NFL.
Glen Dobbs threw an astounding 55 passes, bombing away for 405 yards and three touchdowns. But his seven picks were too much to overcome for the Dons, who lost 38-21 to the Niners.
T-2) Bob Waterfield, Los Angeles Rams – 7
Date: October 17, 1948
Opponent: Green Bay Packers
The other Hall of Famer on this list along with Ken Stabler, Bob Waterfield and the Los Angeles Rams were shut out in this 16-0 loss. Waterfield “only” threw 18 picks in 11 games in 1948, with a good chunk of them coming in this game vs. the Green Bay Packers.
Waterfield led the league in touchdowns twice and interceptions twice, embodying the type of boom-or-bust passing that defined much of the early NFL.
T-2) Frankie Sinkwich, Detroit Lions – 7
Date: October 24, 1943
Opponent: Green Bay Packers
Frankie Sinkwich was somehow one of three Detroit Lions players to throw an interception in this game, as two other players threw a pick apiece. Sinkwich was primarily a running back, but dabbled at quarterback over his first two seasons from 1943-44.
It did not go well. In those seasons, Sinkwich threw 40 interceptions, compared to 19 touchdowns.
T-2) Parker Hall, Cleveland Rams – 7
Date: November 8, 1942
Opponent: Green Bay Packers
The first player to throw seven or more picks in a game in league history was Parker Hall, who did so for the 1942 Cleveland Rams. Hall was actually named MVP as a rookie in 1939, but his final year with the Rams in 1942 featured this seven-interception game against the Green Bay Packers.
This was his final NFL season as well. After serving during World War II, Parker would return for one final season with the San Francisco 49ers in the AAFC in 1948.
NFL Record for Most Interceptions in a Season
1) 1962 George Blanda – 42
George Blanda set numerous unbreakable records during his Hall of Fame career. He played 26 seasons and is the oldest player to appear in a game at age 48.
However, perhaps the most dubious of Blanda’s unbreakable records came in 1962 for the Houston Oilers in the AFL. Blanda threw 42 interceptions, his first of four straight seasons leading the AFL in picks.
Blanda threw a pick in 13 of his 14 games played that season. He had two games with six interceptions, three with five or more, and six games with four or more picks.
2) 1988 Vinny Testaverde – 35
The No. 1 overall pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1984, Vinny Testaverde only started four games as a rookie. His first year as a full-time starter was filled with mistakes, as his 35 interceptions are a post-merger record.
Testaverde started 15 games and began the season with a five-interception game vs. the Philadelphia Eagles. It only got worse from there, as Testaverde had an eight-game streak with multiple picks. That included a six interception game in Week 8 vs. the Minnesota Vikings.
Of course, Testaverde’s career turned out just fine. He would play 21 NFL seasons, lasting until age 44 in 2007 with the Carolina Panthers.
3) 1960 Frank Tripucka – 34
In the inaugural season of the AFL, Frank Tripucka came out of retirement to play for the Denver Broncos. Tripucka played four NFL seasons from 1949-52, but returned after an eight-year layoff to play for the Broncos.
The 33-year-old Tripucka led the league with 3,034 pass yards, but offset that with 34 picks. The Broncos went 4-9-1, and would not make the playoffs in any of their first 17 seasons of existence.
T-4) 1968 John Hadl – 32
John Hadl made the Pro Bowl for the 1968 San Diego Chargers in the AFL, thanks to a league-leading 27 passing touchdowns and 3,473 pass yards. He also led the league with 32 picks in one of the more remarkable boom-or-bust seasons ever.
Hadl picked up steam down the stretch, as 24 of his 32 picks came in the final eight games of the season. The Chargers finished 9-5, but were a distant third-place team behind the 12-2 Oakland Raiders and 12-2 Kansas City Chiefs.
T-4) 1978 Fran Tarkenton – 32
Fran Tarkenton was one of the best quarterbacks of his era, reaching nine Pro Bowls and earning Hall of Fame honors in 1986.
However, Tarkenton’s final season was a painful one. Starting all 16 games for the Minnesota Vikings, Tarkenton led the NFL with 3,468 pass yards and threw 25 touchdowns, but also threw a league-high 32 picks.
The Vikings missed the playoffs at 8-7-1, and Tarkenton retired at the age of 38.