Talanoa Hufanga Breaks Down His Interception Problem—and the Fix

Talanoa Hufanga has a plan to improve his interception numbers in Year 2 with the Denver Broncos.

Nov 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga (9) reacts against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

If Talanoa Hufanga had caught even half of the number of would-be interceptions he dropped last season, he may have given Myles Garrett a run for his money for the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award. In every other facet of being a safety, Hufanga dominated in his first year with the Denver Broncos.

His hands, though? Like concrete. But there were mitigating factors.

With dropped interceptions approaching double digits in 2025, Hufanga isn't letting it bring him down. Entering Year 2 with the Broncos, he talked about what he's doing to hopefully improve his hands as a safety.

"I got back on the JUGS machine," Hufanga said on Thursday after OTA practice. "The reason I wasn't on it as much last year—and this isn't an excuse, I'll be honest—was because I was coming off wrist surgery."

Lingering Effects of a Wrist Injury

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) runs against San Francisco 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga (29). | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

That is an important factor to consider. Hufanga's wrist injury, which plagued his last season with the San Francisco 49ers, required surgery to repair torn ligaments.

Fast forward not even six months later, and Hufanga had signed with the Broncos as a free agent. He had to be careful with that wrist throughout the 2025 offseason, and it may have contributed to the dropped interceptions.

Late in 2024, when Hufanga returned from injured reserve in San Francisco, he wore a club cast on his injured right hand/wrist (see above image). That may have affected his hand-eye coordination in the long run, and the injury certainly played a part in how much he attacked the JUGS machine in the 2025 offseason as a Bronco.

"A lot of it stemmed from wearing a club during games. That was really uncomfortable and made things difficult," Hufanga said. "My hand-eye coordination wasn't where it needed to be. But that's still an excuse. I own that, and I've got to be better for the team."

Some wondered whether Hufanga's inability to haul in these missed interceptions last season was due to him being so eager to lay a hit. That's not a theory he subscribes to.

"If I'm being honest, as a safety, I don't know how I dropped all of them," Hufanga said. " Some of them were gimmies. If I'm being real with you, man, they dropped right in my lap and I didn't come down with them."

Joseph's Challenge

Denver Broncos Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph and Denver Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton look on against the Cincinnati Bengals. | Michael Allio / Imago / Icon Sportswire

In their first team meetings ahead of OTAs, Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph challenged his unit to put the past in the rearview and focus on improvement. That's a tall order, considering the Broncos ranked in the top five in most key metrics.

One area that Denver can clearly improve in, though, is takeaways. The Broncos finished with just 14 last season, and Hufanga takes some ownership of that near franchise-low mark.

"A lot of it was actually put on the board, and a lot of it starts with me," Hufanga said of Joseph's challenge. "I left a lot out there in terms of interceptions. That's exactly what he preached: taking the ball away."

The Broncos were elite on third down and in the red zone and led the NFL in sacks. They dominated against the run and finished in the top 10 against the pass. We can always talk about degrees of improvement, but the only clear area with room for growth heading into 2026 is the takeaway department.

"We did well on third downs, we did well with sacks and different things like that. But when we looked at the lack of production in takeaways, it starts with me," Hufanga said. "I've got to lead better in that area and help get the guys going as a group. I've got to put myself in the best position possible to lead these guys."

There's no telling whether Hufanga will have as many interception opportunities in 2026. But he's putting in the work to ensure that when those passes come his way, he can pick them off.

Dominant in Every Other Facet

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) under pressure from Denver Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga (9). | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Again, though, in every other facet of his job, Hufanga was dominant. He was a spark plug for the Broncos' defense, finishing with 106 tackles (67 solo), six tackles for a loss, two sacks, one forced fumble, and 11 passes defensed, earning second-team All-Pro honors from the Associated Press.

Hufanga may not have had the ideal interception numbers, but each dropped pick counts as a pass defensed, which is why he posted a career-high in that statistical area.

Hufanga is a great leader and emotional booster on the field. His physicality and the abandon with which he plays the game is infectious, so even if the stars don't align for him to suddenly become an interception magnet, Broncos fans can count on him continuing to make a sizable dent each and every game.

Hufanga Could be Even Better

This offseason, Hufanga is no longer swimming in the process of learning a new system. He's been teamed up again with his defensive backfield partner, Brandon Jones, and Hufanga could be even better in Year 2 with the Broncos.

"The confidence I have now just to make the right calls is huge. A lot of times during OTAs last year, I was looking over at Brandon Jones or Pat [Surtain II] and saying, "Hey, what are we running right here?" I was still learning the defense," Hufanga said.

The Broncos are now in their second week of voluntary OTAs. This the format for the players to make mistakes, according to Hufanga, and push the envelope a little bit. Testing the boundaries now can lead to big things when the actual season rolls around.

"Now it's about putting guys in the right position. Coach Vance puts us out here for a reason," Hufanga said. "It's practice. Make mistakes, make new mistakes, and learn from them. Become the player you want to be. That way, when the games come, you can push the line a little bit and take those calculated risks to make plays."

The Takeaway

It's going to be fun watching Hufanga in 2026. The exciting part is that he's only 26 (!).

I have a sneaking suspicion that Hufanga is going to be one motivated safety, looking to take the ball away at a high clip in 2026 and atone for some of his missed opportunities last year.

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