Former New York Jets Great Died Tuesday At 71 Years Old
10/09/2024 02:20 PM
The New York Jets are mourning the loss of a former star player on Wednesday.
Former defensive lineman Abdul Salaam, a member of the iconic New York Sack Exchange, passed away this week after battling a number of health issues, according to his wife, Debbie. He was 71 years old.
"Sad news: Former Jets DT Abdul Salaam, a member of the famed NY Sack Exchange, passed away yesterday, his wife, Debbie, told ESPN. Salaam was 71 and had been battling health issues," Jets beat writer Rich Cimini said.
Salaam was a standout nose guard and linebacker for Kent State during his collegiate career, earning first-team all-conference honors three years in a row. He went on to become a seventh-round draft pick by New York and played for the Jets from 1976 to 1983. Along with linemates Mark Gastineau, Hall of Famer Joe Klecko and Marty Lyons, Salaam and company terrorized opposing offenses.
"I feel like I lost my best friend," Gastineau told ESPN. "If it wasn't for Abdul, I wouldn't have made it. He helped me through everything."
When he was drafted by the Jets, Salaam went by the name Larry Faulk, but changed his name a year later to Abdul Salaam, which translates to "Soldier of Peace."
"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."
Our thoughts are with his family.
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