Intercepted? Jets notch first INT in 364 days during preseason game vs. Steelers

What a difference a year makes. Well, almost a year.

For the first time in 364 days, the New York Jets have intercepted a pass. No, not throw an interception. That was something they did 13 times during the regular season and 2026 starting quarterback, Geno Smith, did 17 times alone while with the Las Vegas Raiders. This was different.

A Jets defender ended the interception drought - albeit unofficially - in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL preseason.

Don't believe us? Take a look with your own eyes:

OUR BALL

: #NYJvsPIT on @NFLonCBS, @paramountpluspic.twitter.com/QieWSkBBxl

- New York Jets (@nyjets) August 21, 2026

From just inside the 15-yard line, Will Howard dropped back to pass early in the second quarter. Rather than find his receiver, he found Andre Cisco, the Jets safety.

It marked the team's first interception in a game of any kind since Aug. 22, 2025, against the Philadelphia Eagles. That came in the first quarter when the Eagles' Kyle McCord was picked off by Malachi Moore.

Turns out, the turnovers come in bunches: Samuel Womack picked off Howard for a second time in the second quarter.

anotha one

: #NYJvsPIT on @NFLonCBS, @paramountpluspic.twitter.com/xyK3izLvqL

- New York Jets (@nyjets) August 22, 2026

The Jets famously became the only team in NFL history, since the league started tracking interceptions in 1933, to go through a full season without recording one.

They'll need to find one in the regular season to avoid a repeat of 2025, but the team can at least celebrate being on the right side of that turnover for the first time in a long time.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Intercepted? Jets notch first INT in 364 days during preseason game vs. Steelers