The safety's clarification comes as New York, losers of three straight and six of seven, heads to Kansas City at 2-6.
Minkah Fitzpatrick spent part of this week walking back a quote that was never really what he said in the first place. After Sunday's 38-33 home loss to the Raiders, a game New York led 30-21 in the third quarter before the defense fell apart, Fitzpatrick was captured telling reporters the breakdowns amounted to "Jets being Jets." It went viral instantly, because of course it did.
On Thursday, Fitzpatrick said the phrase was actually "Jets beating Jets," a reference to the self-inflicted wounds of bad penalties and mental mistakes rather than some fatalistic shrug about franchise futility. He added that the whole episode didn't affect the mood in the locker room, which is either reassuring or exactly what someone says when it did.
Either way, the Jets have bigger problems than a misquote. The loss to Las Vegas dropped them to 2-6, their third straight defeat and sixth in their last seven games. Aaron Glenn, hired in part for his defensive background, is now 5-20 as head coach, with a defense that has been the opposite of advertised. New York plays at Kansas City on Sunday.