Jameis Winston and Brett Favre's Infamous First Throws

Published on August 23rd, 2025 11:46 am EST
Written By: Dave Manuel


An NFL debut is supposed to be memorable. For two quarterbacks, it was unforgettable for all the wrong reasons. Their very first career passes ended up going the other way for six points. A pick-six.

Jameis Winston did it in 2015. First throw with the Buccaneers. A quick out route. Titans cornerback Coty Sensabaugh jumped it and ran untouched into the end zone. That was Winston's welcome to the NFL.

He isn't alone. Brett Favre, back in 1991 with the Falcons, also saw his first official pass intercepted and returned for a touchdown. Playing against the Washington defense, his rookie appearance became a trivia answer instead of a highlight reel.

Statistically, the odds of this happening are minuscule. In more than 25,000 passes thrown by rookies since the 1970 merger, only a handful have resulted in immediate pick-sixes. For quarterbacks, a career defined by confidence, that's the worst possible first impression.

Winston, to his credit, rebounded. He threw for over 4,000 yards in each of his first two seasons. Favre went on to a Hall of Fame career, winning three MVPs and a Super Bowl. Still, the record book holds their embarrassing first throws forever.

Another name worth noting is Geno Smith. In 2013, Smith nearly joined the club when his first throw against Tampa Bay was nearly intercepted and returned. The defender dropped it. Smith went on to complete the drive with a touchdown. Inches separate trivia answers from forgotten footnotes.

The data points tell the story. Of the 300+ quarterbacks who debuted in the NFL since 1980, fewer than 2 percent threw an interception on their first pass. An even smaller slice, less than 0.5 percent, had that pass returned for a touchdown. A reminder of how unusual these moments really are.