The Buffalo Bills defensive lineman's ability to find the football has put him alone at the top of the Bills record books.
AJ Epenesa has quietly broken a Buffalo Bills NFL record.
On Sunday afternoon against the Cincinnati Bengals, Epenesa intercepted Joe Burrow in the fourth quarter. The pick came after Jordan Phillips tipped a pass on the Bengals' first play after Christian Benford's pick six.
That interception was Epenesa's second of the season and his fourth for his career. That puts him all alone in the Bills record books.
Epenesa's four interceptions is the most for a Buffalo Bills defensive lineman since the AFL/NFL merger. He was previously tied with former players Chris Kelsay and Aaron Schobel who each had three.
And while it's the team record since Buffalo joined the NFL, it's not the all-time franchise record. That's still held by Ron McDole who had six interceptions during Buffalo's AFL days.
A second-round pick out of Iowa in 2020, Epenesa's other two interceptions came during the 2023 season. He even returned one for a touchdown against Washington.
Aside from the interceptions and three defended passes this year, Epenesa has tallied 25 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two tackles for loss, and a fumble recovery. For his career, the sixth-year player has 128 tackles, 24 sacks, 50 quarterback hits, 29 tackles for loss, and five forced fumbles.
He's currently in the final year of a two-year, $12 million extension he signed in 2024. His contract included three void years at the end to spread out his cap hit. Should he not extend with the Bills after this season, he will have a cap hit of $2.86 million in 2026.
But that's looking to the future. For now, Buffalo will have to continue to rely on Epenesa to make plays like he did on Sunday as they work towards securing a playoff spot. The Bills are 9-4 on the year and hold the fifth seed in the AFC heading into Monday Night Football. If the team is going to stay in that spot and, hopefully, make a run towards the Super Bowl, they are going to need Epenesa to find ways to attack the ball against some of the best teams the league has to offer.