Other athletes might be of a mind to deflect, ignore or otherwise overlook a media question about an off-putting oh-fer.
That's not Brandon Stephens' way. The Jets cornerback took the latest queries about the defense's record-setting zero interceptions last season head-on when he was asked after Wednesday's OTA practice about the addition to the CB depth chart of unrestricted free agent Nahshon Wright.
"He had five picks last year," Stephens said of Wright, who had his breakout season as a Bear. "The elephant in the room is we didn't have any last year, so that's a focal point going into this season. He's an incredible player with great instincts, which you need on the outside, as a corner group specifically. He's a great addition to our defense."
Is Stephens still processing the no picks for 2025 five months later in the middle of offseason preparation for the season ahead? Others, mentioned above, might see such a question as overkill. But Stephens was on top of it.
"It's hard to believe that could happen. but it happened," he said. "At the end of the season, you keep it in the back of your mind, but you flush it so it doesn't happen again. All the guys are taking it personally because it's part of our nature."
It's also part of Stephens' nature because he's one of those players that HC Aaron Glenn and GM Darren Mougey sought out in their first year on the job. He has an enduring obsession with the game he plays for a living.
Asked what his first season in green and white taught him, he didn't flinch:
"Honestly, how much I actually love ball. It's so easy to be on a winning team and love ball when you're winning. But do you love it when things aren't going your way? I just enjoyed coming to work every day with the guys. And I wouldn't expect that to change this year."
But a good amount has changed in the secondary and on the defense. Wright's arrival is one of them. Stephens had positive spins on many of the others:
The drafting of CB D'Angelo Ponds in Round 2 — "I think he's a smart guy, he definitely knows ball. He's a jittery guy, a quick-twitch guy. I'm excited to see him put the pads on and get his nose dirty a little bit. He's been great so far. He's learning in the DBs room and taking it to the field. He doesn't make the same mistake twice, which you look for in rookies."
Glenn diving deeper into his defense and taking over play-calling duties — "It's been great, man. Just him being the voice of the defense, being coached by him daily, being critiqued by him as well, I think everyone is eager to learn from him."
The signing of ageless veterans in S Minkah Fitzpatrick and LB Demario Davis — "When you add a veteran presence to a team, I think a lot of ears are open when they speak. Demario, he's been a leader, shoot, for a long time, he's seen a lot of ball. When he speaks, you listen. Same with Minkah. He's played a high level of ball for a long time. Having that veteran presence in almost every room, it's been great so far."
Stephens chuckled at that last observation, since he, at his advanced state of 28 years of age entering his sixth NFL season, has become a member of the secondary's veteran presence.
"It's funny, man, the guys calling me OG, which is crazy. Am I really OG?" he said, which we assume wasn't a reference to OG Anunoby, who would star for the Knicks in Game 4 of the NBA Finals later that night, but rather perhaps to "Old Guard" or even "Old Guy."
"I'm stepping into a role as one of the leaders in the DBs room. I don't take that role lightly. Just being able to coach the young guys, help them out about what technique I'd use in this scenario or what not, just to be in that position is great.'
Stephens — whose career has been light in INTs, just two with the Ravens in 2023, but heavy in tackles, enough to be tied for sixth-most among all NFL corners since '21 — is optimistic about how the new Jets will handle a chance at a tipped-ball pick or a drive-stopping tackle or a comeback victory. He's imparting a vibe that the length of the Jets' current oh-fer interception streak is Not-For-Long.
"When an opportunity arises, you have to be ready to capitalize on it," he said. "That's what we've been talking about, just staying ready."
