Joseph Edward "Joe" Klecko (born October 15, 1953) is a former American football player as a defensive lineman for the New York Jets from 1977 to 1987, and the Indianapolis Colts in 1988. He co-anchored the Jets formidable defensive line known as the "New York Sack Exchange" with Mark Gastineau, Abdul Salaam and Marty Lyons. The four combined for 66 sacks in 1981, including a league-leading 20.5 by Klecko, who was named the NFL's Defensive Player...
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Joseph Edward "Joe" Klecko (born October 15, 1953) is a former American football player as a defensive lineman for the New York Jets from 1977 to 1987, and the Indianapolis Colts in 1988. He co-anchored the Jets formidable defensive line known as the "New York Sack Exchange" with Mark Gastineau, Abdul Salaam and Marty Lyons. The four combined for 66 sacks in 1981, including a league-leading 20.5 by Klecko, who was named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year by the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA). Klecko is second to Gastineau on the Jets all-time leading sack leaders (as of the 2009-2010 season).
Klecko was born in Chester, Pennsylvania. He played at Temple under legendary college coach Wayne Hardin (the former Navy coach who coached 2 Heisman Trophy winners in Bellino '60 and Staubach '63). While at Temple University, Klecko also played semi-pro football for the Aston (Pa.) Knights and kept his eligibility by playing under an assumed name (Jim Jones) and a fake university ...
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