Joe Klecko
Joe Klecko at Temple with coach Wayne Hardin
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| No. 73 | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Defensive Lineman | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Date of birth: | October 15, 1953 | ||||||||||
| Place of birth: | Chester, Pennsylvania | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Chester (PA) St. James | ||||||||||
| College: | Temple | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1977 / Round: 6 / Pick: 144 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Sacks: | 24 |
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| Fumble recoveries: | 9 |
| Seasons: | 10 |
| Games played: | 155 |
| Player stats at NFL.com | |
Joseph Edward Klecko (born October 15, 1953) is a former American football player, of Polish descent, as a defensive lineman best remembered for his days as a member of the New York Jets' famed "New York Sack Exchange."
Before going to Temple University, and playing under Hall of Fame College Coach Wayne Hardin (the former Navy coach who coached two Heisman Trophy winners in Joe Bellino '60 and Roger Staubach '63), Klecko played semi-pro football for the Aston (Pa.) Knights of the Seaboard Football League and kept his eligibility by playing under the assumed name "Jim Jones" from fictional "Poland University." He also won two NCAA club boxing titles in the heavyweight division. Klecko played high school football at St. James Catholic High School for Boys in Chester, Pennsylvania.
Klecko led the 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 Delaware in which he had five sacks and 15 tackles. He was inducted into the Temple University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1987.
Klecko was drafted by the New York Jets in the sixth round (144th overall) of the 1977 NFL Draft. Despite eight sacks by Klecko, his team went only 3-11 his first season. However, when he and Abdul Salaam were joined by Mark Gastineau and Marty Lyons on the Jets' defensive line, they formed one of the top defensive lines in the NFL, known as the "New York Sack Exchange." The four combined for 66 sacks in 1981, including a league-leading 20.5 by Klecko, to lead the Jets to their first playoff game since 1969. Klecko was honored with his first All-Pro selection. In November 1981, Klecko, Gastineau, Salaam and Lyons were invited to ring the ceremonial opening bell at the , which served as the inspiration for their nickname.
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