Former Jets defensive tackle Paul Rochester died this past weekend at the age of 81.
A member of the Jets from 1963 to 1969, Rochester was part of the Super Bowl III team that upset the Colts. He spent the first few years of his career with the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs.
Rochester is one of 20 players in football history to play from the beginning to the end of the American Football League. Throughout his time with the Jets, Rochester was a starting defensive tackle.
Most modern stats weren’t recorded back in the 60s, but Rochester did have two fumble recoveries and one sack in 1968 with the Jets. The sack came in the AFL Championship Game against the Oakland Raiders. It was the only sack of the entire game. The Jets then went on to beat the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.
Rochester wasn’t looked at as one of the big names on those Jets teams back in the 60s. However, he did contribute in stopping the run game and opening up lanes for his fellow teammates.
“Paul was an underrated defensive tackle who played a major role on the Jets’ Super Bowl championship team,” former Jets public relations director Frank Ramos said. “He was a great run stopper who enabled defensive ends Gerry Philbin and Verlon Biggs to rush from the outside and John Elliott, the quick defensive tackle, to rush up the middle. Walt Michaels came up with a scheme to use undersized linebacker Carl McAdams at DT on passing downs, leading the 1968 Jets to have the number one defense in the AFL.”
