The New York Jets are approaching Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears desperate to end a historic 20-game interception drought, a streak that has stretched over 637 days since their last takeaway. The Jets' last interception came late in the 2024 season finale when safety Ashtyn Davis picked off a pass from Snoop Huntley, helping secure a win against the Miami Dolphins. Since then, the team has struggled to generate turnovers under defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.
Glenn, a former NFL defensive back with 41 interceptions in his career, has yet to record a single interception in his 20 games coaching the Jets’ defense. The current drought surpasses the previous NFL record of 14 games without a pick, set by the San Francisco 49ers in 2024–25, marking one of the longest stretches in league history.
The Jets face a Bears team whose quarterback situation remains uncertain. Star quarterback Caleb Williams is out, and the starter for Sunday is expected to be either backup Tyson Bagent or veteran Case Keenum, who led Chicago to a recent win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Regardless of who is under center, the Jets’ defense is focused on forcing at least one interception to end the prolonged drought and provide momentum for their struggling offense.
“I look at it like this: We just got to keep scratching, clawing and fighting and they’ll come our way," Glenn said this week, referring to takeaways. He also acknowledged the challenge the Jets faced against Green Bay two weeks ago, when the defense recovered just one of five opponent fumbles.
The Jets hope to get a boost from safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who is expected to return Sunday. Fitzpatrick, a proven ball-hawk with 21 career interceptions, along with rookie cornerback D’Angelo Ponds—who recorded seven interceptions in college—could help revitalize a defense that has shown flashes but has yet to make a game-changing turnover.
Despite the defensive struggles, the Jets have shown improvement through three games of the 2026 season. Quarterback Geno Smith has solidified his position, while wide receivers Garrett Wilson and Kenyon Sadiq have emerged as reliable offensive weapons. Still, the team recognizes that winning the turnover battle remains critical. Since Glenn became head coach, the Jets have won the turnover margin only four times, with three of those occurrences resulting in victories.
With the Jets entering Sunday’s game eager to halt the longest interception drought in NFL history, the defense aims to provide the short fields and momentum needed to support an offense hampered by injuries. The team remains hopeful that a key turnover or two will help propel them to a much-needed win on the road against the Bears.