Sunday afternoon in San Francisco, Logan Wilson became the first Cincinnati Bengals linebacker in franchise history to record 10 interceptions in his first 47 games.
His victim list includes multiple future Hall of Famers, but one name that is missing is the quarterback Wilson has intercepted more times than anyone — former University of Wyoming teammate and Sunday night opponent Josh Allen.
Logan Wilson Looks To Add Joshn Allen to His Interceptions List
Wilson said he realized early on Allen has freakish arm talent.
“I remember him showing up to a practice and standing on the goal line and not even stepping into it and just chucking it like 65 yards,” Wilson said. “I was like, ‘OK, this guy’s got a baseball arm. He could be a pitcher. That’s the biggest moment I remember.”
Wilson faced Allen for one drive in Week 17 last year before the Damar Hamlin incident canceled the game. Wilson, along with quarterback Joe Burrow, were the liaisons for Allen to communicate everything that was going on with Hamlin’s recovery and progress.
“I always texted with Josh to make sure we were getting updates,” Wilson said. “At the end of the day, life’s a lot bigger than football.”
The teams met again three weeks later in the Divisional Round, with Wilson and the Bengals prevailing 27-10. Wilson didn’t intercept Allen, but he did register a quarterback hit to go along with his seven tackles.
Wilson has started since Day 1 after the Bengals took him in the third round in 2020. There is a long list of things he does on and off the field that leaves his coaches and teammates gushing, but what gets most of the attention outside of the building is his knack for intercepting passes.
Logan Wilson picks off Brock Purdy — setting up the #Bengals offense with great field position 👀
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 29, 2023
In addition to being the first Bengals linebacker to have at least 10 through his first 47 games, Wilson is just the seventh linebacker since 1970 to do that. Dallas’ Sean Lee had 11 in a 47-game span interrupted by injuries from 2010-2015, while the other five, including Hall of Famer Jack Ham, did it back in the 1970s.
- Mike Curtis, 14
- Jack Ham, 13
- Dave Robinson, 11
- Sean Lee, 11
- Gregg Bingham, 10
- Mike Lucci, 10
Ham has the record for most interceptions by a linebacker in his first four seasons. Wilson has 10 more games to narrow the gap.
Logan Wilson already is tied for eighth and has 10 more games to climb this list of LBs with the most interceptions through the first four seasons of their career since 1970: pic.twitter.com/4LikDDDUkB
— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) October 30, 2023
Wilson attributes his ball-hawking abilities to his high school days as a defensive back and wide receiver.
“I was just always around the ball,” he said. “And when I was even younger, I was playing running back. I think it was just developing those ball skills in my early years. It’s just progressed as I’ve moved closer to the line of scrimmage as a linebacker.”
In addition to Wilson’s 10, linebacker Germaine Pratt, a 2019 third-round pick, has five. Since the two started playing together, the Bengals have 17 interceptions by linebackers (Akeem Davis-Gaither and Jordan Evans had one each in 2020).
Those 17 linebacker picks lead the NFL. The Minnesota Vikings are second with 16, and no other team has more than 12.
Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo said the athletic abilities of Wilson and Pratt are only part of the reason the duo leads the league in interceptions.
“I said this the other day, that those two are like having conversations with coaches on the sideline,” Anarumo said. “They solve problems every day during practice. They ask intelligent questions, and they’re forward thinkers.”
They both proved that this week after the 31-17 win at San Francisco marked the first time they each got one in the same game. Pratt’s was an extremely difficult play as he was moving to his left as San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy was rolling out. Pratt tipped the ball, then pinned it against his helmet for the turnover. In Week 5, he made a diving interception to seal the win at Arizona.
Asked Monday which was his favorite, Pratt said, “My next one.”
Asked the same question Wednesday, Wilson said, “Maybe when I look back on my career, I’ll have a favorite. Right now, it’s the next one.”
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Forward thinkers. History makers.
Here is the list of Bengals who have had at least 10 interceptions in their first 47 games.
- Lemar Parrish, 18
- David Fulcher, 15
- Leon Hall, 14
- Ken Riley, 13
- Eric Thomas, 12
- Tommy Casanova, 11
- Ray Horton, 10
- Louis Breeden, 10
And here is Wilson’s victim list:
- Ben Roethlisberger (2)
- Matthew Stafford (2)
- Carson Wentz
- Lamar Jackson
- Jared Goff
- Joe Flacco
- Brock Purdy
Who’s next? Perhaps the quarterback he knows best.
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