Former New York Jets’ Great Joe Klecko Belongs in Canton

The New York Jets were blessed with a defensive lineman that has been on the outside of the Hall of Fame for too long.  It’s time for Joe Klecko to be inducted.

With the 2016 Hall of Fame induction in our rearview mirror, it seemed like a good time to look ahead to potential players in the 2017 class. In discussing that prospect, we must undertake an issue that has been a bone of contention with New York Jets’ fans for a long time, and with good reason. There is one player that achieved a feat that has yet to be matched, been called the best opponent ever by Hall of Famers, yet remains outside the walls in Canton.

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His name is Joe Klecko.

Before we take a look in detail at Klecko’s career, let’s take into account the accomplishment I mentioned earlier. Klecko is the only player ever to be selected to the Pro Bowl at defensive end, defensive tackle, and nose tackle. Simply put, he defined the modern-day versatility that coaches look for in defensive linemen.

Think about it. Imagine a guy starting his career on the edge and making it to the Pro Bowl, moving to the inside and did it again, then moved further inside and did it again!  To put it in modern terms, he started out as J.J. Watt, became Gerald McCoy, and ended as Damon Harrison.  He was great in everything he did on the field.

Let’s look back to the beginning.

After losing most of 1982 to a knee injury, Klecko moved inside to defensive tackle to begin the 1983 season. He proceeded to earn Pro Bowl appearances at his new position in each of the next two seasons.

In 1985, Joe Walton hired Bud Carson to coordinate the defense. With the hire came the switch from a 4-3 alignment to a 3-4 alignment, prompting Klecko to begin playing nose tackle. What did he do? Go back to the Pro Bowl at his new position. Again, that’s a Pro Bowl selection at end, tackle, and nose.  The rest of his time with the Jets was riddled by injured knees, and he ended his career with the Indianapolis Colts.

You can learn a lot about greatness when listening to a player’s peers. Through the years, Klecko faced Hall of Fame center Dwight Stephenson on many occasions. In a Hall of Fame chat, take a look at Dwight’s answer when asked to name the best players he ever faced:

"Joe Klecko and Howie Long. Both of them really understood the game and what they wanted to get done on the football field. They were both quick, both strong, and played the game smart."

Hall of Fame tackle Anthony Munoz had this to say about Klecko to Dave Anderson of the New York Times:

"“Joe was the strongest guy I ever faced,” Muñoz said. “He had perfect technique — hands in tight, great leverage. My second year, 1981, we went to Shea and beat the Jets, 31-30, but he was such an intense, smart player, I knew I was in a battle. He was the leader, the guy who kept that unit together.”"

Finally, Joe DeLamielleure, Hall of Fame guard with the Bills and Browns, had some very kind words to say, also to Dave Anderson of the New York Times:

"“If Joe Klecko had played one position for 10 years, he’d have been considered one of the top two or three players at that position, whichever one it was,” DeLamielleure said. “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.”"

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Klecko changed the way defensive line is played and had the admiration of his peers. Four Jets have their numbers retired. Three of them are in the Hall of Fame. It’s time for the fourth. Joe Klecko needs to be in the Hall of Fame. Next year. End of story.