Minkah Fitzpatrick stops the Jets’ NFL-record interception drought at 20 consecutive games

CHICAGO (AP) — The New York Jets’ NFL-record interception drought is over after 20 consecutive games.

Minkah Fitzpatrick stepped in front of Colston Loveland and picked off a Tyson Bagent pass in the second quarter of Sunday’s game at the Chicago Bears. It was Fitzpatrick’s first game since he left New York’s opener with a groin injury.

It looked as if the drought was over when defensive lineman T’Vondre Sweat intercepted Bagent with about 4 1/2 minutes left in the first quarter. But Jets cornerback Azareye’h Thomas was flagged for illegal use of hands.

Fitzpatrick’s play was the first interception for New York in 643 pass attempts. The Jets went 83 regulation quarters — not including their overtime loss to Green Bay in Week 2 — between interceptions.

The Jets were the first team in NFL history to go an entire season without getting an interception since the league began charting the statistic in 1933. They had three in the preseason — one each by Andre Cisco, Samuel Womack and Marcelino McCrary-Ball — but those don’t count in official records.

Before the regular-season opener at Tennessee last month, coach Aaron Glenn — who had 41 career interceptions in 15 NFL seasons — was asked if he’d be relieved when the Jets finally got one to end the drought.

“I think it would be a relief to hear you guys stop talking about it, first and foremost,” Glenn said with a laugh. “But, listen, I really don’t talk to our guys about it too much, you know. The thing that we talk about more is just making sure that we go after the ball, making sure that we punch the ball out, making sure that we emphasis that takeaways are a huge part when it comes to winning and losing in this league.”

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AP Pro Football Writer Dennis Waszak Jr. in New York contributed to this report.

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