Joe Klecko, member of the Pro football Hall of Fame class of 2023. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Joe Klecko thought Hall of Fame knock was DoorDash

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 3/22/23

It turns out New York Jets defensive legend Joe Klecko was expecting a knock on the door when he learned he'd been named a member of the 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

As shared by Ryan Gilbert of Audacy, Klecko explained during the latest edition of the "Damon Amendolara’s New York Accent" podcast how his wife and daughter convinced him to stay home even though he wanted to go out for a bite to eat that fateful day.

"Somebody’s knocking at the door and I’m waiting for them to answer," Klecko said. "They didn’t answer it. I’m going to the door actually to look for DoorDash. I’m looking for somebody from DoorDash and here Joe Namath is there and of course, there are 18 cameras behind him with his gold jacket."

ESPN's Rich Cimini pointed out that none other than "Broadway Joe" was selected as the fellow Jets icon who would give Klecko the life-changing news:

"Hey honey," Klecko joked to his wife after he opened the door. "Joe Namath came to lunch!"

Klecko later told Cimini what the moment meant to him.

"I've been retired for so long now — and people know who you are, of course — but when they tell you, 'You're a member of the Hall of Fame,' it is just different," Klecko said. "It's so special and it's so exhilarating when they tell you. There are no words. It's a very, very special feeling that you get. It's an emotional feeling. It's very hard to express, it really is."

Per the Hall of Fame website, Klecko played for the Jets from 1977 through the 1987 season. He earned UPI Defensive Player of the Year honors for the 1981 campaign and was a two-time First-Team All-Pro and a four-time Pro Bowl selection. In 2004, he became only the third player in Jets history at the time to have his number retired.

Klecko featured for the Indianapolis Colts during the 1988 season before he called time on his playing days.

"Until they put me in the grave I was going to keep that dream alive," Klecko said during the podcast about holding onto the hope he'd one day make the Hall of Fame.

That dream now never has to die.

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