Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

The other day I was looking at Sam Huff's stats and noticed that he picked off 30 passes in his 13-year career, which seemed like quite a good number for a linebacker. So I checked a bunch of other guys from his era (not from recent years when interceptions are so much less common) -- Joe Schmidt, Bill George, Dick Butkus, Ray Nitschke and so on. None of them could match Huff, so I was thinking he must hold the record for linebackers. But then I noticed that Don Shinnick had tied for the league lead with 7 in 1959, so I looked him up, and sure enough, he picked off 37 -- an in a career of 13 years, same as Huff.

So I"m wondering . . . does Shinnick really hold that record? And is Huff second? Or are there other guys who beat them out? Anybody know?

Shinnick has the record ... Stan White is second with 34. Shinnick had one in postseason as well giving him 38, but he would have probably given them all up to hang on to that dropped interception in SB III.

Shinnick must be one of the best careers from that time that didn’t happen to get any pro bowls or accolades.

After Huff, is Ray Lewis with 31. Lee Roy Jordan, Nick Buoniconti and Jack Ham are next with 32. I will see what their postseason totals are ...

Counting postseason

Shinnick 38
Ham 37
Jordan 36
White 34
Buoniconti 34
Lewis 33
Huff 31

Brian wolf wrote: ↑Wed Jul 23, 2025 5:11 pm After Huff, is Ray Lewis with 31. Lee Roy Jordan, Nick Buoniconti and Jack Ham are next with 32. I will see what their postseason totals are ...

Counting postseason

Shinnick 38
Ham 37
Jordan 36
White 34
Buoniconti 34
Lewis 33
Huff 31

White also had a couple of interceptions while playing in the USFL for Chicago and Arizona.