Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023: DL Joe Klecko

There have been numerous players drafted in the sixth round that have gone on to stellar NFL careers. Of course, the most successful is quarterback Tom Brady. The 199th overall pick by the New England Patriots in 2000 has an amazing resume. He’s the all-time leader in passing yards and TD tosses both during the regular season and the playoffs. He’s a seven-time Super Bowl champion and a five-time Super Bowl MVP.

The then-Washington Redskins used the 146th overall selection in 1986 to grab Washington State quarterback Mark Rypien. He would eventually lead the team to a Super Bowl XXVI win over the Bills and was named the game’s Most Valuable Players.

Running back Terrell Davis played only seven seasons with the Denver Broncos. However, he was a three-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro. He is also a two-time Super Bowl champion and is enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

A Sixth-Round Gem

Speaking of Canton, Ohio, defensive lineman Joe Klecko is one of the nine members who make up the Class of 2023. He was a sixth-round selection (144th overall) from Temple University. From the defensive tackle spot, he played in 13-of-14 games and made six starts. He finished with a team-high eight sacks (via Pro Football Reference) during his rookie campaign.

During his 11 seasons with the Jets, Klecko earned four Pro Bowl invitations at three different positions. He was also a two-time All-Pro in 1981 (defensive end) and ’85 (nose tackle) and finished his career with the Green and White with a total of 78.0 sacks.

The “Sack Exchange”

It didn’t seem to matter when Klecko lined up and in what scheme he played. He excelled on the inside and outside in the 4-3 and later in his career was a standout at nose tackle in the 3-4. In 1981, the Jets set a franchise record with a league-leading 66.0 quarterback traps. The “New York Sack Exchange” of Klecko (20.5), Mark Gastineau (20.0), Adbul Salaam (7.0) and Marty Lyons (6.5) combined for 59 of those 66 sacks.

Klecko capped off his 12-year NFL career in 1988 with the Colts, playing in 15 contests. Thanks to his storied versatility (something seen more in today’s game), the relentless defender made life miserable for everyone along the offensive line.