Jets legends Joe Klecko, Darrelle Revis headed into Hall of Fame

PHOENIX — It was a Hall of a night for the Jets.

Gang Green legends Darrelle Revis and Joe Klecko were both announced Thursday as members of the 2023 class for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. They will be enshrined in August in Canton, Ohio.

The announcement capped a historic night for the Jets, in which current players Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson won Defensive and Offensive Rookie of the Year, respectively, at the NFL Honors program.

“Tonight, the Jets organization, we actually stole the show,” Revis said.

Revis and Klecko are part of a class that includes six-time All-Pro offensive lineman Joe Thomas; linebackers DeMarcus Ware and Zach Thomas; cornerback Ronde Barber; senior candidates Chuck Howley and Ken Riley; and coaching candidate Don Coryell. Bills safety Damar Hamlin also gave an emotional speech, recognizing the first responders and doctors that helped save his life on Jan. 2. and the ensuing days after.

Revis, 37, was elected in his first year on the ballot. He was a seven-time Pro Bowler and a four-time first-team All-Pro selection during his career. He played eight seasons for the Jets over two stints. The Jets drafted him No. 14 overall in 2007 out of Pittsburgh. He quickly became a star and “Revis Island” was born with opposing quarterbacks afraid to throw his way.

When Rex Ryan was hired as head coach in 2009, Revis became the key piece of his Jets’ defense. Ryan put Revis on the opponent’s top receiver and then scheme up the other side of the field. Statistics do not tell the story of Revis’ dominance because there was so many games in which teams did not test him. He had 29 interceptions, 832 tackles and 139 passes defended in his career.

Ty Law, who hails from the same hometown as Revis — Aliquippa, Pa. — and has been a mentor to him, was the one who knocked on Revis’ door and informed him he had made the Hall of Fame.

“For me, it was just surreal,” Revis said. “I think in your mind a lot of thoughts play back, just all the hard work, the hours you put in, the highs, the lows, the failures, the successes, coming from the neighborhood that you come from, just really persevering through things. … It’s amazing, man. I never thought I would be a Hall of Famer. For me, it was about winning and trying to win championships, as many as I could.”

While Revis’ wait for his Hall call was short, Klecko had to have patience.

Klecko was selected as one of three senior candidates in August after failing to get voted in by the regular selection committee for years. Klecko, 69, played 11 seasons for the Jets and was a Pro Bowler at three different positions — defensive end, tackle, and nose tackle. There are now 371 Hall of Famers out of more than 30,000 men who played football.

“It’s unfathomable,” Klecko said. “It’s very hard to put in perspective. You know one thing — it’s less than one percent and that means it’s awesome. Just to be involved in that group of people is pretty damn good.”

Klecko was a two-time All-Pro selection and he led the NFL with 20.5 sacks in 1981, before the stat was recognized by the NFL. Klecko was a member of the famed “Sack Exchange” defensive line, with Mark Gastineau, Marty Lyons and Abdul Salaam. Klecko’s 78 career sacks are second in Jets history behind Gastineau (107.5). Klecko finished second in voting for the AP Defensive Player of the Year award in 1981 to the Giants’ Lawrence Taylor.

Joe Namath was the one who came to Klecko’s house and informed him that he had made the Hall of Fame. Klecko said after waiting three decades for the honor, he was still processing it.

“It was fulfilling as you can get, very emotional from the standpoint from the awakening, I guess you could say,” Klecko said. “But I don’t think it’s hit me yet as far as a total acceptance.”