Not many defenders in the NFL can boast of having intercepted Tom Brady at the peak of the New England Patriots’ dynasty years. David “Hitman” Harris, former linebacker for the New York Jets, did not only that, but more. He broke a monolithic Brady record. But when the stakes were highest, Harris failed to finish a big play, and that’s something he still regrets to this day.

In January 2011, the New York Jets marched into Gillette Stadium for the AFC Divisional Playoff with a chip on their shoulder. The Pats forced a punt on New York’s first possession, Brady’s offense took the field, and ran 7 straight no-huddle plays for 114 yards. But on the final play of that drive – a 1st & 10 at the Jets’ 28-yard-line – Brady fired a short right screen to RB BenJarvus Green Ellis only to get picked off by Harris playing man coverage.

Harris ran for 20, 40, 50 – 58 yards, all the way to New England’s 12-yard line before tight end Alge Crumpler came barreling down to tackle him to the ground. Harris’ big turnover didn’t help, though, as the Jets missed a field goal on the next drive. That interception, which could have almost been a Pick-6, is what still hurts for Harris.

“By the time the interception came, the first 40 yards, I was good. I made time, I made Tom Miss, I thought I’m going to glory,” Harris recalled on The Official Jets Podcast. “Then, that monkey jumped on my back like around the 20-yard line. What made it worse was I got tackled by Alge Crumpler, who was at the time a big guy. But yeah, it changed the tone of the game because I think at the time Tom went like 300 pass attempts without throwing an interception or something crazy like that, and they tried to run a screen, and he overthrew the run back, and I was Johnny-on-the-spot.

“I was right there, and I still kick myself to this day. I didn’t score, but yeah, it changed the tone of the game, and momentum was on out side every since, even though we missed the field goal at the end of that series.”

The “something crazy” stat Harris spoke about was actually the heaviest blow to the Patriots that day.

Until that point, Tom Brady had thrown 339 passes without a single interception – his last pick coming in Week 6 of that 2010 regular season. But Harris shattered that record and gained 58 yards all in one play. The Jets smelled blood, and the hunt ended with a 28-21 victory.

That Jets 2010 postseason run ended with a 24-19 defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Conference Championship, and the franchise has never reached the playoffs since then.

David Harris got the record, the win, and the glory of intercepting Tom Brady at his peak. But 12-yards and Alge Crumpler stood between him and a Pick-6 that day, and you can still hear the regret in how Harris counts the yards.