Joe Klecko is considered one of the greatest New York Jets players of all time. His enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023 was a special moment for him and the rest of the fanbase.
Now, the former All-Pro can celebrate something else in his personal life: a clean slate.
In a sweeping move made on Friday, President Donald Trump officially pardoned Klecko from a 1993 perjury charge. Klecko pleaded guilty to perjury in 1993 after lying to a federal grand jury that was investigating insurance fraud.
Nate Newton, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, and the late Billy Cannon were also pardoned by the 47th President of the United States.
Trump is an avid sports fan and has always taken a liking to even the highest office on the planet. His love for New York sports, as well, led him to pardon New York Mets champion Darryl Strawberry for tax evasion and drug charges.
Klecko’s recent pardon is a fresh start for the 72-year-old as he continues his post-playing career as one of the best players of his era and one of the top performers in Jets history.
Klecko’s 20.5-sack season in 1981 remains tied with players like Aaron Donald and Lawrence Taylor for the 14th-best single-season output in NFL history. It marked the first of three All-Pro seasons in green for the Temple product.
Across 11 seasons, Klecko finished his Jets career with 78 sacks, placing him second in franchise history behind fellow New York Sack Exchange member Mark Gastineau (107.5).
