Joe Klecko

JETS CAREER	G	SK	INT	FR	FR TD (INT TD)
REG SEASON	140	78	0	8	0 (0)
PLAYOFFS	5	1	0	1	0 (0)

Player	Joe Klecko
Team: Years Active	New York Jets: 1977-1987
Position	DL
Number	73
Height	6-foot-3
Weight	263 pounds
DOB	Oct. 15, 1953
Hometown	Cester, PA
High School	St. James (PA)
College	Temple
NFL Entrance	1977 NFL Draft NYJ: No. 144 (Round 6)
Jets Acquisition	Drafted by NYJ (1977) GM Jim Kensil

Joe Klecko is finally a Pro Football Hall of Fame player. Arguably, the greatest New York Jets defender in franchise history (save for only Darrelle Revis arguments) was both dominant and versatile.

Klecko made the Pro Bowl at three different positions along the defensive line: defensive tackle, nose tackle and defensive end. The Temple product wasn’t a highly-touted prospect coming out of college, but his grit and workmanship made him an instant fan favorite.

It all resulted in No. 73 being retired by the organization.

CAREER STATS

	G	SACKS	INT	FR	FR TD (INT TD)
Jets Regular Season	140	78	0	8	0 (0)
Regular Season	155	78	0	9	0 (0)
Jets Playoffs	5	1	0	1	0 (0)

DEFENSE BY SEASON

Year	Tm	G	GS	Sk	Int	Int Yds	Int TD	Int Lng	PD	FF	FR	FR Yds	FR TD	Sfty
1977		13	6	8			0
1978		16	16	8			0				1	0	0
1979		16	16	7			0
1980		15	15	10.5			0
1981		16	16	20.5			0				2	0	0
1982		2	2	2			0				0	0	0
1983		16	16	6.5			0				1	0	0
1984		12	11	3			0				2	0	0
1985		16	16	7.5			0				1	0	0
1986		11	10	4			0				0	0	0
1987		7	7	1			0				1	0	0
1988		15	14	0			0				1	0	0

PLAYOFFS DEFENSE BY SEASON

Year	Tm	G	GS	Sk	Int	Int Yds	Int TD	Int Lng	PD	FF	FR	FR Yds	FR TD	Sfty
1981		1	1	1			0			0	0	0	0
1982		3	0	0			0			0	1	0	0
1985		1	1	0			0			0	0	0	0

Honors: 

• 4 Pro Bowls (1981, 1983-85)
• 2-time All-Pro (1981, 1985)
• PFWA Defensive Player of the Year (1981)
• No. 73 retired by Jets
• New York Jets Ring of Honor

Jets all-time regular season ranks:

• 20th in Pro-Football-Reference’s Approximate Value (79)
• 27th in games played (140)

Miscellaneous Jets records:

• 4th-most regular season games played among DL (140)