New York Jets Veteran Defensive Star Not Ready to Concede Season

The New York Jets have at least one player who is holding out how they can find a way to contend for a playoff berth.

Oct 6, 2024; Tottenham, ENG; New York Jets defensive back Chuck Clark (36) tackles Minnesota Vikings Wide Receiver Justin Jefferson (18) in the 4th Quarter at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. / Shaun Brooks-Imagn Images

Things look dire for the New York Jets.

As New York enters its bye week, ESPN analytics gives the Jets a 1% chance of making the playoffs.

On the upside, five other AFC teams have a less than 1% chance of making the playoffs. But that's of little comfort to New York. With six games remaining, the Jets’ season appears to be all but over.

But don't tell that to veteran safety Chuck Clark. He wants no part of that talk, as he said to reporters on Monday in the only official media availability of the bye week.

He’s still holding out hope that a two-week break will allow the Jets (3-8) to figure something out down the stretch, where it looks like they’ll need to win every game just to have a chance to qualify.

"I've been on teams with less talent and have gotten in the playoffs and had a shot," he said. "With this team, we got a lot of talent, and so it's tough from that standpoint. Y'all wouldn't say we out, anything could happen. It's still six more games, other teams got to play, we still got to play so who knows what could happen."

The Jets resume the season on Dec. 1 when they host Seattle.

Clark just returned from injury for Sunday’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts. He had six tackles in the game, including three solo shots.

Clark suffered a high ankle sprain against Buffalo on Oct. 14 and New York placed him on injured reserve shortly after. The Jets went 1-3 without him in the lineup.

He got back on the field last week to start his 21-day practice window and he was a full participant throughout the week and was reinstated to the 53-man roster on Saturday.

Clark was traded to the Jets in early 2023 and he missed all of last season after he tore the ACL in his knee.

The 29-year-old started his career with the Baltimore Ravens in 2017, who made him their sixth-round pick out of Virginia Tech. He made the Ravens’ 53-man roster as a rookie and worked primarily as a special teams ace until he emerged as the starting free safety in 2019 due to injury.

That earned him a new contract with Baltimore, as he signed a three-year, $15.30 million contract extension that includes $10 million guaranteed and a signing bonus of $5.50 million.

Clark is playing on a one-year, $2 million deal with the Jets and is set to be a free agent after the season.