NFL Career Leaders - Interception Return Average

The following is a list of the NFL career defensive leaders ranked by interception return average. Statistics are current through the 2019 NFL season and include stats accrued in NFL, AFL and APFA games.

Active players are listed in bold.

Leaders based on 20 interceptions

      Interceptions
Player Gms Num Yds Avg Lg TD
1. D. Ray 72 21 581 27.7 71t 3
2. E. McMillan 76 22 608 27.6 92t 5
3. M. Peters 63 22 587 26.7 90t 3
4. L. Johnson 59 21 549 26.1 76 3
5. V. Green 157 25 643 25.7 90t 3
6. D. Sanders 188 53 1,331 25.1 93t 9
7. E. Reed 174 64 1,590 24.8 108 7
8. B. Smith 60 29 719 24.8 102 3
9. G. Edwards 142 39 961 24.6 86t 3
10. N. Collins 95 21 507 24.1 62t 4
11. D. Anderson 121 34 792 23.3 96t 3
12. L. Burruss 134 22 509 23.1 83 4
13. D. Sharper 189 63 1,412 22.4 99t 11
14. L. Oliver 102 27 605 22.4 104 2
15. T. Parrish 131 30 670 22.3 60 2
16. D. Williams 156 31 691 22.3 97t 4
17. T. Janik 104 25 557 22.3 100 6
18. T. Gipson 100 20 445 22.2 67 2
19. O. Smith 177 29 645 22.2 78t 7
20. H. Adderley 164 48 1,046 21.8 80t 7
21. A. Rolle 155 26 565 21.7 57 4
22. P. Buchanon 121 20 432 21.6 83t 5
23. R. Fichtner 102 27 581 21.5 88 3
24. A. Talib 145 35 752 21.5 104 10
25. J. Joseph 188 30 638 21.3 82t 7
26. D. Brooks 224 25 530 21.2 97t 6
27. J. Nettles 95 26 549 21.1 56t 3
28. T. Kinard 121 31 649 20.9 70t 2
29. R. Woodson 237 71 1,483 20.9 98t 12
30. J. Warren 138 25 516 20.6 70t 3
31. R. Craft 100 22 451 20.5 81t 2
32. C. Brown 99 29 593 20.4 81t 2
33. F. Reagan 68 35 714 20.4 71 1
34. A. Beasley 121 24 487 20.3 93t 2
35. E. Sharockman 134 40 804 20.1 47t 3
36. J. Kearney 112 23 462 20.1 65t 5
37. B. Flowers 119 21 421 20.0 91t 4
38. M. Gaechter 108 21 420 20.0 100 1
39. B. Dudley 90 23 459 20.0 80t 2
40. J. Tatum 136 37 736 19.9 66 0
41. B. Maher 136 22 436 19.8 89 0
42. G. Barbaro 101 39 771 19.8 102 3
43. R. Barber 240 47 923 19.6 78t 8
44. B. Thompson 179 40 784 19.6 59t 3
45. D. Hall 171 43 838 19.5 92t 5
46. D. Grayson 139 48 933 19.4 99t 5
47. A. Harris 194 21 407 19.4 84 3
48. L. Irvin 159 35 676 19.3 81t 5
49. L. Barney 140 56 1,077 19.2 71t 7
50. H. Smith 101 20 384 19.2 81t 4