Josh Allen: How many interceptions does have| Career Interceptions

Introduction

Josh Allen, quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, has become one of the most scrutinised and celebrated players in the NFL. When assessing a quarterback’s performance, interceptions (turnovers) are often considered a key metric—both as a measure of risk-taking and decision-making. In this article, we dive deep into Allen’s career interception totals, season-by-season trends, interception rate, comparison to peers, and the bigger picture: how his interceptions influence his legacy.

Who Is Josh Allen? A Quick Overview

Before we get into interceptions, it helps to understand Josh Allen’s journey, playing style, and the context in which he throws passes.

• Full Name & Bio: Joshua Patrick Allen, born May 21, 1996, from Firebaugh, California.

• College & Draft: He played college football at Wyoming before being selected by the Buffalo Bills in the first round (7th overall) in the 2018 NFL Draft.

• Playing Profile: At 6’5” and weighing around 237 lbs, Allen is a strong-armed, dual-threat quarterback who often takes chances with deep passes and mobility.

• Career Stats Snapshot (regular season, through latest available):

  • Pass Attempts / Completions: Over 3,780 attempts and ~2,403 completions (as per Pro Football Reference)

  • Touchdowns: 202 passing touchdowns to date.

  • Interceptions: 85 regular season interceptions.

  • Passer Rating & Efficiency: A career passer rating around 94.0.

Given his aggressive playstyle and high volume of attempts, interceptions are part of the narrative of Josh Allen’s career.

Total Career Interceptions: How Many Picks?

Regular Season Interceptions

Josh Allen’s interception count in the regular season (to date) is frequently listed as 85. Some sources also cite 84 as the total, possibly due to timing (stat cutoffs) or rounding.

One source, StatMuse, states:

“Josh Allen has 84 intercepted passes in his career.”

But Pro-Football-Reference, widely accepted for accuracy, lists his career interceptions in the passing table as 85 through current seasons.

Thus, the more current consensus is 85 regular season interceptions (as of the latest season included in the data).

Playoff & Combined Totals

When adding playoff interceptions, his total increases. One source combining regular season and playoff stats gives:

“Josh Allen has a passer rating of 94.7 with 30,548 yards, 225 touchdowns and 88 interceptions in 127 games in the regular season and playoffs.”

Another variation states 89 total interceptions.

Therefore:

• Regular season interceptions: ~85

• Playoffs included (combined): ~88–89

For clarity, when someone asks, “How many interceptions does Josh Allen have?”, the usual interpretation is regular season interceptions — i.e., ~85.

Interceptions by Season: Trends & Highlights

Let’s break down how those 85 interceptions are distributed across seasons, highlighting peaks and dips.

StatMuse provides a season-by-season breakdown of his interceptions. Key seasons include:

• 2018 (rookie): 12 interceptions.

• 2019: 9 interceptions.

• 2020: 10 interceptions.

• 2021: 15 interceptions.

• 2022: 14 interceptions.

• 2023: A career-high 18 interceptions.

• 2024: 6 interceptions.

• 2025 (partial / ongoing season): 1 interception (data through partial season)

Some observations:

• Allen’s interception count spiked in 2023 (18), his highest single-season total.

• His best season (in terms of low interceptions) within a full season appears to be 2024, with 6 picks, which coincides with him winning NFL MVP honors.

• Early in his career, as a rookie, Allen had higher mistakes (12 interceptions in 2018) as he adjusted to NFL play.

Tracking interceptions per season helps see how his decision-making has evolved.

Interception Rate: Efficiency Context

Simply knowing the interception count is not enough — we also need to consider volume (attempts) and efficiency (what percentage of his passes are intercepted).

Career Interception Percentage / Rate

• StatMuse states Allen has averaged 2.3 interceptions per 100 attempts (i.e., ~2.3 %) across his career.

• That means that out of roughly every 100 pass attempts, about 2.3 end in interceptions.

In context: for a high-volume, aggressive passer, 2.3 % is not terrible, though many elite quarterbacks achieve lower rates.

Comparing to Peers

To fully evaluate Allen’s interception tendencies:

• Many elite quarterbacks maintain interception percentages around or below 1.5 %.

• Allen’s style — deep throws, riskier passes, mobility — inherently increases turnover risk.

• His interception rate needs to be balanced with his high touchdown totals, yards, and big-play ability.

Thus, while 2.3 % is higher than some conservative passers, his overall productivity has often justified that risk.

Peaks & Valleys: Most and Least Interceptions in a Season

Most Interceptions in One Season

The most interceptions Allen threw in one season was 18 in 2023.

Other high-interception years include:

• 2021: 15 interceptions

• 2022: 14 interceptions

These seasons reveal that Allen’s higher-risk plays can backfire more often, especially when defenses adjust or when timing/reads are off.

Least Interceptions in a Full Season

• His lowest interception count in a full season is 6 picks in 2024.

• That season coincided with him winning NFL MVP, indicating improved decision-making and efficiency.

So, the range in Allen’s full seasons goes from 6 (best) to 18 (worst).

Interceptions in International Context: How Does Allen Stack Up?

To assess Allen’s interception numbers, it helps to compare to other quarterbacks — especially those with similar playstyles.

Against Other Dual-Threat QBs

• Kyler Murray, Lamar Jackson, and Patrick Mahomes are also quarterbacks with some mobility and risk-taking.

• While those players may avoid interceptions better in certain seasons, Allen’s arm strength and volume of attempts push him into riskier spots.

Longevity & Volume Effect

• Because Allen throws many passes each season, his cumulative interception total will naturally be higher than more conservative or lower-volume QBs, even if their interception rate is lower.

Interceptions vs. Legacy

• Many Hall of Fame QBs had multiple seasons with double-digit interceptions but offset them with high yardage, touchdowns, and wins.

• The public often remembers big plays and wins more than every interception. But chronic turnover issues can harm perception and team outcomes.

In short: Allen’s interception totals do not necessarily define him — they contextualize his aggressive style, successes, mistakes, and evolution.

What Influenced Allen’s Interception Trends?

To understand why Allen’s interceptions fluctuated, here are key influencing factors:

1. Playstyle & Risk Preference
   Allen often launches deep passes, tries to squeeze balls into tight windows, and improvises under pressure. That naturally leads to more turnover opportunities.

2. Offensive System & Coaching Adjustments
   Changes in playcalling, aggressive schemes, or shifting toward more conservative passes can lower his picks. The 2024 season shows fewer interceptions, possibly due to scheme tweaks.

3. Receiver Quality & Chemistry
   Miscommunications, errors by receivers, or route-breakdowns can lead to interceptions even if the QB’s decision was sound.

4. Defensive Adjustments & Opponents
   As opponents gameplan more aggressively, they can bait or pressure him into mistakes.

5. Experience & Maturity
   Over time, Allen’s reading ability, pocket awareness, and decision-making have matured, helping control turnovers in better seasons.

6. Injury, Fatigue & External Conditions
   Physical wear, opponent pressure, weather, or poor field conditions might also lead to more risky throws or read errors.

Thus, Allen’s interception totals reflect a mix of style, system, context, opponent quality, and growth.

Interception Impact: Team & Individual Consequences

Interceptions carry real consequences — for games, teams, perception, and individual legacy. Here’s how:

• Game Outcomes: A critical interception at a pivotal moment can swing a game. Multiple interceptions in a game increase a team’s chance to lose.

• Momentum & Confidence: High turnovers can erode confidence, momentum, and trust in a quarterback.

• Fan & Media Perception: Interceptions are highly visible mistakes; even a great QB can be criticized harshly for repeated turnovers.

• Negotiations & Contracts: Turnover history can influence how teams assess risk, salary, and contract terms.

• Hall of Fame / Legacy: Chronic turnover issues may diminish a player’s legacy even if he has great yardage or touchdown numbers.

Yet, it’s also possible to overcome or reframe interception narratives through consistency, winning, and reducing mistakes in key moments.

Recent Trends & Outlook

Looking at his most recent seasons:

• 2023 was a difficult year on the turnover front (18 interceptions) and drew criticism.

• 2024 marked a rebound: Allen threw only 6 interceptions — the lowest full-season total of his career — and won the MVP award.

• The improvement suggests that Allen and his coaches made adjustments—emphasizing smarter reads, perhaps more conservative choices when needed, or more protection.

If he continues this trend — combining high production with fewer picks — it will reshape perceptions of his risk-taking tendencies.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Josh Allen has approximately 85 regular season interceptions (some sources list 84).

• With playoffs included, his combined total is about 88–89 interceptions.

• His interception rate (career) is around 2.3 %, meaning ~2.3 picks per 100 attempts.

• His single-season high: 18 interceptions in 2023.

• His lowest full-season interception count: 6 in 2024 (a strong efficiency year).

• Trends show Allen has matured, improved decision-making, and adjusted playstyle to reduce turnovers in recent seasons.

• His interceptions must be viewed in context — high volume, aggressive throws, and big-play ability are part of his identity.