Joe Klecko
 Klecko, pictured next to Temple coach Wayne Hardin | |||||
| No. 73 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Defensive tackle | ||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Born: | October 15, 1953 Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||
| Weight: | 263 lb (119 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school: | St. James (Chester, Pennsylvania) | ||||
| College: | Temple | ||||
| NFL draft: | 1977 / Round: 6 / Pick: 144 | ||||
| Career history | |||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||
| |||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||
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| Player stats at NFL.com · PFR | |||||
Joseph Edward Klecko (born October 15, 1953) is an American former professional football defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the New York Jets. He played college football for the Temple Owls and was a member of the Jets' famed "New York Sack Exchange".
Temple Owls
Before going to Temple, and playing under Hall of Fame college coach
Klecko led the Temple Owls in tackles his last three seasons (1974–1976), twice making the All-East team and receiving All-American mention as a junior and senior. He was the ECAC's Rookie of the Week on October 27, 1973, after Temple's 31–8 victory over the University of Delaware Blue Hens, in which he had five sacks and 15 tackles. He was inducted into the Temple University Sports Hall of Fame in 1987.[2]
New York Jets
Klecko was drafted by the New York Jets in the sixth round (144th overall) of the
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Klecko appeared in only two regular season games for the Jets in 1982, rupturing the patella tendon in his right knee in the second game of the season against the New England Patriots. The Jets made the playoffs in 1982, losing the AFC Championship game to the Miami Dolphins. Klecko made 2 more appearances with the Jets during their playoff victories over the Cincinnati Bengals and Oakland Raiders.
Klecko moved from
Hall of Fame credentials
Hall of Fame center
Hall of Fame guard Joe DeLamielleure added that, "You can't think of his ten year period without him. I had to block Joe Greene and Merlin Olsen when I was playing and, believe me, Joe Klecko was equal to those two guys. If Joe Klecko had played one position for ten years, he'd have been considered one of the top two or three players at that position, whichever one it was. There's not another player who went to the Pro Bowl at three different positions. You take a defensive end and put him at nose tackle and he's just as good there, that's a great player. We need to get Joe Klecko in the Hall of Fame."[6]
On December 26, 2004, during a halftime ceremony, the Jets honored Klecko by retiring his #73 jersey. Klecko became just the third New York Jet to have his number retired, joining Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath and Hall of Fame wide receiver Don Maynard.
On August 16, 2010, during halftime of the
In 2016, the Professional Football Researchers Association named Klecko to the PFRA Hall of Very Good Class of 2016.[7]
On August 17, 2022, Klecko was announced as one of the three finalists nominated by the senior committee for induction in the 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.[8] On February 9, 2023, Klecko was announced as a Class of 2023 inductee to the National Football League's Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Personal life
The young Klecko converted a '55 Chevy into a dragster and had a job driving dump trucks and oversized tractor-trailer rigs. Even during the NFL
Klecko and his wife, Debbie, currently reside in
In 1993, Klecko was sentenced to three months in prison for perjury in an insurance fraud case.[10]
In 2005, Klecko was involved in a fatal car accident, in which he accidentally struck and killed a pedestrian on the
Klecko sells metal stairs in the Tri-State Area, and serves as a representative for various construction companies. He also appeared on EWTN Life On The Rock show. He is a member of Catholic Athletes for Christ and speaks on the subject of manhood and faith.[12] Klecko was a guest on Blessed2Play hosted by Ron Meyer where he talked about his Catholic faith and career in the NFL.
In September 2010,
References
- ^ "Joe Klecko". National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame. June 10, 1999. Archived from the original on December 9, 2010.
- ^ "Joe Klecko". Temple University Hall of Fame.
- ^ Cimini, Rich (September 6, 2008). "Jets defense looking to regain glory days of Sack Exchange". New York Daily News. New York. Archived from the original on December 14, 2010. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
- ^ Bassett (July 17, 2008). "TJB Hall of Fame: Joe Klecko". The Jets Blog.com.
- ^ "Dwight Stephenson Chat Transcript". October 20, 2000.
- ^ New York Times.
- ^ "PRFA Hall of Very Good Class of 2016". Archived from the original on April 13, 2019. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
- ^ "Joe Klecko, Ken Riley, and Chuck Howley named as finalists for 2023 Hall of Fame induction".
- ^ https://vault.si.com/vault/1979/09/24/killer-with-a-baby-face-driving-18-wheel-25-ton-rigs-cross-country-or-playing-defensive-tackle-for-the-new-york-jets-joe-klecko-may-look-angelic-but-he-has-mayhem-on-his-mind
- ^ "Jail Sentence for Klecko". The New York Times. April 10, 1993.
- ^ Kappstatter, Bob; Standora, Leo (September 13, 2005). "COPS: Jets' Klecko Kills Pedestrian". New York Daily News. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
- ^ "Joe Klecko". Athlete Promotions.com.
- ^ "SNY presents full slate of Jets coverage: Klecko joins SNY as NFL analyst". SNY.TV. September 10, 2010. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011.