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Joe Klecko Should Be In Canton

Joe Klecko played 11 seasons for the New York Jets. He was a standout at Temple University and was one of the best defensive linemen of his era. He was the “engine” of the “New York Sack Exchange” that terrorized NFL quarterbacks along with Mark Gastineau, Marty Lyons, and Abdul Salaam. In 1981 they combined for 66 sacks, and Klecko had 20.5 of them to lead the league. AP voted him second as the defensive player of the year behind LT. That’s fair. The PFWA voted Klecko first along with NEA. 

I saw Klecko battle through injuries and become the ultimate team player. No other defensive player in the history of the game was an All-Pro at three different positions. Klecko is it. Frank Gifford was the only one on offense. Think about that. To say he’s been forgotten or passed over all these years is more than accurate. Side note, he made the Pro Bowl four times in total. 

Klecko was devastatingly strong. He was known for bench pressing 500 pounds. His reputation for that helped him get a part in the movie “Smokey and the Bandit part II”. He was everyman, and all of that has been lost over the years. No thanks to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Let’s hope they can get it right this time. 

Rich Caster Should Be in the Jets Ring of Honor

Rich Caster was a tight end who ran routes like a wide receiver. He had great hands and good speed to get downfield and not just move the chains but to get touchdowns thrown to him by Joe Namath among others. 

He is 10th all-time in receiving yards in the history of the franchise. His 36 touchdowns rank him seventh all-time in franchise history. His 18.1 yards per catch ranks him third all-time for full-time players with more than one year of service. His 91-yard touchdown catch is ranked third in the history of the team. So why no love? 

He was a three-time pro bowler while with the Jets. He’s 73 and deserves to get this award while he’s still alive. 

I’m sure his son,  https://twitter.com/PlatinumMax feels the same way. Let’s get this done. This is way overdue. If the Jets want me to go there and prove to them why he’s worthy, I’m willing to do it.

Russ_Cohen
I'm the author of 10 books. If you're looking for autographed copies just go to my Twitter @Sportsology and DM me.

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