Joe Klecko has been ready for his second because the former Jets defensive star was first eligible to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The second lastly got here on Wednesday as Klecko, now 68, came upon he was a finalist on the senior poll and can possible be headed to Canton, Ohio as a part of the 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.
But as an alternative of being at residence ready for the official announcement, Klecko was getting a scheduled MRI accomplished within the afternoon. He came upon he had made the lower by checking his cellphone after the process.
“I never knew your phone could catch on fire,” Klecko joked when he talked to the media Thursday at Jets coaching camp. “I had 65 text messages on my phone and I don’t think I’ve ever seen that in my life.”
Klecko, together with former Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley and former Bengals cornerback Ken Riley had been introduced because the three senior finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Wednesday.
Klecko will probably be elected to the Hall of Fame if he receives assist from 80% of the voters in January, which is generally a formality for senior candidates. Then he would then be enshrined subsequent summer time with the remainder of the ‘23 class.
Klecko says he’s enthusiastic about the opportunity of being inducted, however he gained’t grow to be overjoyed by the second till it turns into official.
“I’ve been in the construction business all my life and I have had times where I’ve had the job and I walked in the door to get the contract to sign and I get the excuse something went wrong and it is going another way,” Klecko mentioned. “You study to take the rejections in enterprise and it’s one thing I didn’t need to let myself stand up for.
“I’ve realized to not get enthusiastic about something except the test is within the financial institution. This is form of a type of conditions, however not as unfavorable. Everyone is aware of the final hurdle of this factor is available in January when it’s important to get 80% of the vote amongst 48 voters.
“That is a pretty tall mountain to climb. Until the check is in the bank, I’m going to maintain my civility about this and live my normal life.”
During his 11 seasons with the Jets, Klecko was a mainstay on the group’s line of defense as he dominated at three positions — defensive finish, defensive deal with and nostril deal with. He was an All-Pro twice, together with in 1981, when he unofficially led the NFL with 20.5 sacks.
He completed second to Giants nice Lawrence Taylor within the AP Defensive Player of the Year voting and gained the Pro Football Writers of America Defensive Player of the Year. Sacks didn’t grow to be an official stat till 1982.
During the Eighties, he teamed up with Mark Gastineau, Marty Lyons and Abdul Salaam to type the “New York Sack Exchange.”
Klecko ended his profession with 78 sacks. That is nice for second in Jets historical past, trailing solely Gastineau’s 107.5.
After a season with the Indianapolis Colts in 1988, Klecko ended his 12-year profession. At the time, some Jets followers may need thought Klecko can be within the Canton, Ohio shrine as early because the minimal 5 seasons after he retired. However, that proved to not be the case.
A Hall of Fame snub for years, Klecko was a Modern-Era candidate earlier than turning into a senior candidate. He had by no means superior to the finalist stage till this 12 months.
“[Hall of Fame offensive guard] Joe DeLamielleure makes a great case for me,” Klecko instructed the Daily News earlier this 12 months. “He said if I just stayed at one position I’d be in the Hall. But what’s the difference? I still dominated at every position.”
On Thursday, Klecko — who has his No. 73 retired by the Jets and is a member of group’s Ring of Honor — additionally talked concerning the pleasure he received from taking part in within the greatest media market within the nation.
“Playing in New York is one of the greatest things you can do,” Klecko mentioned. “Winning in New York is the following neatest thing. I keep in mind after we had been the Sack Exchange and we had been doing this picture shoot down at Wall Street and we drove down there and we turned the nook and it was mobs of individuals.
“It was that exciting. It is New York, they do everything big. When we got out of the car, it was a surreal moment but a long-lasting moment.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com