What INT Return Yds (allowed) is

Interception return yards: the yards this defense gained returning its interceptions. It turns a stop into field position or points.

Higher is better. It is shown per game, so a team's number does not depend on games played. Source: P + N.

Through Week 8 of 2026, the Jaguars lead at 29.14; the league average is 7.99.

League snapshot — 2026

League leader

JAX · 29.14

League average

7.99

Best to worst

29.14

All 32 teams, higher is better.

At a glance — 2026

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

JAX · 29.14

League laggard

CHI · 0

League average

7.99

Spread (max − min)

29.14

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	JAX	29.14	21.15	100%
2	KC	17.29	9.30	96.8%
3	TEN	16.38	8.38	93.5%
4	LAR	15.25	7.26	90.3%
5	NYG	15.14	7.15	87.1%
6	BUF	13.57	5.58	83.9%
7	PIT	13.25	5.26	80.6%
8	CAR	12.71	4.72	77.4%
9	DEN	12.50	4.51	74.2%
10	TB	10.63	2.63	71%
11	WAS	10.57	2.58	67.7%
12	GB	10	2.01	64.5%
13	SEA	10	2.01	61.3%
14	MIN	8.14	0.15	58.1%
15	LV	8	0.01	54.8%
16	NO	6	-1.99	51.6%
17	ATL	5.75	-2.24	48.4%
18	PHI	5.75	-2.24	45.2%
19	MIA	4.86	-3.13	41.9%
20	DAL	4.63	-3.37	38.7%
21	CIN	4.57	-3.42	35.5%
22	BAL	3.38	-4.62	32.3%
23	NYJ	3.38	-4.62	29%
24	CLE	3.13	-4.87	25.8%
25	NE	2.88	-5.12	22.6%
26	HOU	2.71	-5.28	19.4%
27	IND	2.38	-5.62	16.1%
28	ARI	1.88	-6.12	12.9%
29	LAC	1	-6.99	9.7%
30	DET	0.57	-7.42	6.5%
31	SF	0.29	-7.70	3.2%
32	CHI	0	-7.99	0%

Does INT Return Yds (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 831–747–37 ATS (52.7%) across 2020–2025, #146 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2020 (141–113, 55.5%); its worst 2024 (129–134, 49.0%).

For picks, this is a modest signal. One stat is not a recipe — the algorithms combine many.

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	141–113–2	55.5%
2021	272	143–127–2	53.0%
2022	271	144–120–7	54.5%
2023	272	134–124–14	51.9%
2024	272	129–134–9	49.0%
2025	272	140–129–3	52.0%

INT Return Yds (allowed) in 2026 vs 2025

Jaguars lead at 29.14 — they ranked #2 last year. Bears are last at 0 — #1 last year.

The league average is 7.99, down 0.88 from 8.87 last year.

Biggest riser: Chiefs, #28 → #2. Biggest faller: Bears, #1 → #32.

Spread between first and last: 29.14; 23 teams are within 6.36 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2026 vs 2025

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

KC · +13.52

Biggest faller

CHI · −20.47

Most consistent

NO · +0.18

League trend 2026 vs 2025

▼ -0.88

Rank	Team	2026	2025	Δ
1	KC	17.29	3.76	+13.52
2	TEN	16.38	4.47	+11.90
3	JAX	29.14	18.35	+10.79
4	GB	10	0	+10
5	BUF	13.57	8.24	+5.34
6	LV	8	3.71	+4.29
7	WAS	10.57	6.65	+3.92
8	TB	10.63	7.06	+3.57
9	NYJ	3.38	0	+3.38
10	DEN	12.50	9.88	+2.62
11	PIT	13.25	10.71	+2.54
12	NYG	15.14	13.29	+1.85
13	LAR	15.25	14.12	+1.13
14	NO	6	5.82	+0.18
15	CAR	12.71	12.94	−0.23
16	MIN	8.14	9.06	−0.92
17	ARI	1.88	3	−1.13
18	MIA	4.86	6	−1.14
19	PHI	5.75	7.47	−1.72
20	DAL	4.63	7.06	−2.43
21	CIN	4.57	7.35	−2.78
22	IND	2.38	6.29	−3.92
23	ATL	5.75	10.18	−4.43
24	HOU	2.71	7.53	−4.82
25	SEA	10	14.82	−4.82
26	NE	2.88	9.18	−6.30
27	LAC	1	7.47	−6.47
28	DET	0.57	7.76	−7.19
29	SF	0.29	9.88	−9.60
30	BAL	3.38	14.24	−10.86
31	CLE	3.13	17.18	−14.05
32	CHI	0	20.47	−20.47

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

JAX · 13.56

Multi-year laggard

NYJ · 5.15

Biggest improver

JAX · +2.45/yr

Biggest decliner

NE · −2.18/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	JAX	13.56	+2.45	12.50	3.35	13.65	15.53	2.41	18.35	29.14
2	LAR	12.26	−0.15	16.63	11.29	14.12	5.88	8.53	14.12	15.25
3	DEN	11.34	+0.95	8.13	13	5.59	5	25.29	9.88	12.50
4	NYG	10.75	+1.23	6.31	7.94	5.71	23.76	3.06	13.29	15.14
5	BUF	10.69	−0.25	11.50	14	10.31	8.71	8.53	8.24	13.57
6	PIT	10.42	+0.71	10.75	6.18	8.94	10.82	12.29	10.71	13.25
7	SEA	10.38	+1.25	6.63	5.41	9.59	10.41	15.76	14.82	10
8	NE	10.31	−2.18	10.13	18.94	22.53	5.65	2.88	9.18	2.88
9	SF	10.26	−0.95	7.69	8	17.94	18.18	9.82	9.88	0.29
10	KC	9.99	−0.54	16.19	9.41	13.24	4.06	6	3.76	17.29
11	NO	9.97	−1.44	12.25	18.41	6.47	10.88	9.94	5.82	6
12	GB	9.68	−0.43	6.38	9.65	20.65	4.12	16.94	0	10
13	CAR	9.64	+0.92	6.88	6.06	11.12	12.12	5.65	12.94	12.71
14	DAL	9.46	−1.35	6.75	23.82	3.53	14.65	5.76	7.06	4.63
15	ATL	9.45	−0.74	12.75	11.88	7.29	7.29	11	10.18	5.75
16	IND	9.30	−1.89	16.63	10.29	8.29	15.06	6.18	6.29	2.38
17	CHI	9.29	+0.11	5.06	7.94	12	14.41	5.12	20.47	0
18	CIN	9.25	−0.44	5.25	15.65	8.31	8.94	14.65	7.35	4.57
19	HOU	9.08	−0.49	1.19	17.35	14.88	3.71	16.18	7.53	2.71
20	MIN	8.87	−0.09	4.06	15.06	10.94	6.59	8.24	9.06	8.14
21	PHI	8.69	−0.17	6.31	8.41	10.94	12.18	9.76	7.47	5.75
22	TEN	8.44	+0.14	11.81	7.53	8.76	5.06	5.06	4.47	16.38
23	LV	8.17	−0.23	9.75	4	8.29	15.76	7.65	3.71	8
24	MIA	7.74	−0.96	9.13	10.29	6.76	15.88	1.24	6	4.86
25	TB	7.73	−0.48	10.69	10.41	8.24	5.47	1.65	7.06	10.63
26	CLE	7.70	−0.62	13.38	8.71	3.59	7.94	0	17.18	3.13
27	BAL	7.47	+0.66	5.13	2.24	6.18	15.18	6	14.24	3.38
28	WAS	7.25	+0.37	8.50	7.06	4	5	9	6.65	10.57
29	DET	7.06	−0.28	4.06	6.35	9.24	12.29	9.12	7.76	0.57
30	ARI	6.92	−1.98	8.06	14.53	14.47	5.76	0.71	3	1.88
31	LAC	6.85	−1.09	13.56	4.12	9.76	1.82	10.18	7.47	1
32	NYJ	5.15	−1.12	8.38	6.71	4.06	12.47	1.06	0	3.38

Multi-year heatmap

32 teams across 7 seasons. Cells colored by quintile within each season; click a column header to jump to that year.

Team	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
JAX	12.50	3.35	13.65	15.53	2.41	18.35	29.14
KC	16.19	9.41	13.24	4.06	6	3.76	17.29
TEN	11.81	7.53	8.76	5.06	5.06	4.47	16.38
LAR	16.63	11.29	14.12	5.88	8.53	14.12	15.25
NYG	6.31	7.94	5.71	23.76	3.06	13.29	15.14
BUF	11.50	14	10.31	8.71	8.53	8.24	13.57
PIT	10.75	6.18	8.94	10.82	12.29	10.71	13.25
CAR	6.88	6.06	11.12	12.12	5.65	12.94	12.71
DEN	8.13	13	5.59	5	25.29	9.88	12.50
TB	10.69	10.41	8.24	5.47	1.65	7.06	10.63
WAS	8.50	7.06	4	5	9	6.65	10.57
GB	6.38	9.65	20.65	4.12	16.94	0	10
SEA	6.63	5.41	9.59	10.41	15.76	14.82	10
MIN	4.06	15.06	10.94	6.59	8.24	9.06	8.14
LV	9.75	4	8.29	15.76	7.65	3.71	8
NO	12.25	18.41	6.47	10.88	9.94	5.82	6
ATL	12.75	11.88	7.29	7.29	11	10.18	5.75
PHI	6.31	8.41	10.94	12.18	9.76	7.47	5.75
MIA	9.13	10.29	6.76	15.88	1.24	6	4.86
DAL	6.75	23.82	3.53	14.65	5.76	7.06	4.63
CIN	5.25	15.65	8.31	8.94	14.65	7.35	4.57
BAL	5.13	2.24	6.18	15.18	6	14.24	3.38
NYJ	8.38	6.71	4.06	12.47	1.06	0	3.38
CLE	13.38	8.71	3.59	7.94	0	17.18	3.13
NE	10.13	18.94	22.53	5.65	2.88	9.18	2.88
HOU	1.19	17.35	14.88	3.71	16.18	7.53	2.71
IND	16.63	10.29	8.29	15.06	6.18	6.29	2.38
ARI	8.06	14.53	14.47	5.76	0.71	3	1.88
LAC	13.56	4.12	9.76	1.82	10.18	7.47	1
DET	4.06	6.35	9.24	12.29	9.12	7.76	0.57
SF	7.69	8	17.94	18.18	9.82	9.88	0.29
CHI	5.06	7.94	12	14.41	5.12	20.47	0

INT Return Yds (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bears (20.63), 2019 Patriots (22.06), 2020 Colts (16.63), 2021 Cowboys (23.82), 2022 Patriots (22.53), 2023 Giants (23.76), 2024 Broncos (25.29), 2025 Bears (20.47), 2026 Jaguars (29.14).

Bears have led this stat 2 of 9 seasons.

The best season on record is Jaguars 2026 at 29.14; the worst Browns 2024 at 0.

The league average has fallen from 10.91 in 2018 to 7.99 in 2026.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2026.

About this stat

Stat ID: def_advanced_defense_def_int_yds
Side: defensive
Family: Advanced defense
Data source: P + N
Polarity: higher is better (or neutral)
Display grain: count
Algorithm eligibility: Algorithm-eligible: this stat can be picked in the Algorithm Builder.