On this day in 2001, Bears safety Mike Brown picked off Browns quarterback Tim Couch in overtime and ran untouched into the end zone to hand the Bears a comeback win.
It was the second-straight week that Brown returned an interception for a touchdown in overtime.
Trailing 21-7 with less than a minute remaining, Chicago scored twice in the final 28 seconds and won on Brown’s interception.
From Nov. 4, 2001 via the Associated Press:
Mike Brown couldn’t believe it was happening again when he saw the ball pop in the air. Brown grabbed the ball and took off for the end zone, his 16-yard interception return giving the Chicago Bears a stunning overtime win for the second week in a row. It’s just weird, real weird, Brown said Sunday after the Bears beat Cleveland 27-21 for their sixth straight win. If a book was written, I don’t think they’d believe it. It just came right to me and fell right into my hands, Brown said. I don’t know what to say. A higher power, luck, destiny, whatever you call it.
Just a week earlier, Brown had intercepted 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia in overtime.
Like they did against the Browns, the Bears completed a major comeback against San Francisco as well.
Chicago trailed 28-9 but used a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown catches from David Terrell and a two-point conversion from Anthony Thomas to force overtime.
Brown picked off a pass intended for Terrell Owens and returned it for the game-winning touchdown on the very first play of overtime.
The No. 39 overall pick in the 2000 draft, Brown was two-time NFL All-Pro.
He played nine seasons in Chicago before playing a final year in Kansas City and retiring in 2009.
The Bears won the NFC central with a 13-3 finish.
[FBTW]
