Former Jets defensive tackle Abdul Salaam, a member of the team’s famous “New York Sack Exchange” defensive line, has died at the age of 71, his wife, Debbie, told ESPN on Wednesday.
He had been dealing with multiple health issues, including diabetes, per the report.
Salaam played for the Jets for eight seasons from 1976-83 and starred alongside Mark Gastineau, Joe Klecko and Marty Lyons on the Jets’ feared defensive line.
The four first became teammates in 1979 and played together for five seasons, with the nickname reportedly first surfacing in 1981.
The quartet was invited that year to ring the Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
The Jets selected Salaam out of Kent State in the seventh round of the 1976 NFL Draft, when he went by Larry Falk. He changed his name one year later and his name means “soldier of peace.”
“We had a celebration after the Jets drafted me,” Salaam told the Jets in 2019. “I thought Cleveland would (choose me because of its proximity to Kent State).”
He played mostly as a reserve in his rookie season before becoming a starter for the next five seasons.
The Jets and their vaunted defensive line had their breakout season in 1981 when they led the league with 66 sacks and lost to the Bills in the Wild Card round following a 10-5-1 regular season.
“We made the adjustments and learned very quickly. That’s why we were successful. I went from defensive end to tackle and he had some great help in bringing Marty and Mark in,” Salaam told the Jets. “It was like a heavyweight fight. You had to be scrappy and know that you were going to be hit. You had to stay up on your feet and keep going. It was just a coldblooded struggle.”
The Jets returned to the playoffs in 1982 in Salaam’s last full season and fell to the Dolphins in the AFC Championship game. He played just one final game in 1983.
The Chargers acquired him before the 1984 season but he never played for the team.
Salaam appeared in 97 career games and tallied 21 sacks.
“He was well-respected in the locker room, loved by his teammates,” Lyons told ESPN. “His name said it all: Solider of Peace. He was so soft-spoken, but he was a big part of what we accomplished.”
Gastineau told ESPN he would not have made the Hall of Fame without Salaam’s help.
“I feel like I lost my best friend,” Gastineau told the outlet. “If it wasn’t for Abdul, I wouldn’t have made it. He helped me through everything.”
