The Klecko family has a way of winning football games.
Nate Klecko fuels the Paul VI High School team to victory on Friday nights as the team’s star running back.
His father, Dan Klecko, won three Super Bowls during the New England Patriots’ dynasty two decades ago; grandpop Joe Klecko was a Hall of Fame defensive tackle for the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts.
But for sophomore Christian Klecko, football never crossed his mind until this fall – and maybe not even until he lined up to kick a game-winning field goal Sept. 27. Despite living in a household of football royalty, the Paul VI sophomore grew up playing soccer and lacrosse and never even gave football a chance.
“I was a big soccer guy, but my dad is the [assistant football] coach and my brother is on the team, so they convinced me to come out,” Christian said. “And with my grandpop, too, it’s in the family. I guess I had to at least give it a shot.”
Nate Klecko, a junior at PVI, was the main influence. He had kicked extra points and field goals last season but was hoping to focus on his natural position. He knew his brother could boot the ball with a strong soccer background. So why not try to split the uprights on the gridiron?
“I was the kicker before him, but I was 100 percent happy to give it up,” Nate Klecko said with a laugh. “But it was actually hard to convince him.”
In fact, it came right down to the wire.
“The day before camp, actually,” Christian recalled, explaining that he had already bought his soccer cleats when he was asked to kick for the football team. “I tried it and decided to stick with it.”
The Eagles are glad he did. A game at Willingboro High School on Sept. 27 also went down to the wire, and he was called upon to boot the game-winning 30-yard field goal with 8.4 seconds left. It gave Paul VI a thrilling 27-24 victory. He was already 3-for-3 on extra points that day and had knotted the game at 24-24 with a 29-yard field goal earlier in the fourth quarter. But this was an added layer of pressure.
“That was scary,” Christian said. “The [Willingboro] band was playing. It was loud. I was definitely nervous.”
Nothing in his soccer background could have prepared him for a game-winning field goal attempt in the waning seconds.
“He’s never been in any kind of situation like this, maybe eighth-grade soccer taking a penalty kick,” said Dan Klecko, who serves as the team’s defensive line coach. “But it’s nothing like this where the game is on the line and 60 guys are looking at you saying, ‘Hey, we need you to come through.’ I’m really proud of him, and I’m really happy for him. God bless him, that was fun.”
Dan Klecko won his first Super Bowl when teammate Adam Vinatieri kicked a 41-yard field goal with four seconds left to help the Patriots win Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004.
Watching his son line up to win a high school game created some similar stress.
“I can’t tell you how many Hail Marys I said right before [Christian] kicked it,” the proud dad said with a laugh. “It was definitely stressful.”
Nate Klecko seemed to be the only one not sweating. “I knew he was going to make it. I had full confidence,” said Nate, who had scored on a touchdown reception in the first half. “Playing soccer, I knew he was going to drill it no matter what.”
Straight down the middle.
Christian certainly earned the spotlight for his late game heroics. He quickly shifted the focus of admiration to his brother.
“It’s just cool being on the same field as him,” Christian said. “We’ve been on the lacrosse field like once before, but this is definitely not the same. It’s a big team sport, and it feels great winning. Knowing that he’s on the field makes it so much better.”
Although football is king in the Klecko household, both boys are interested in pursuing science and medicine in college. Nate is hoping to play football in college while studying something in the biomedical field. Christian wants to study marine biology.
“It was a great thing with my dad, too,” Dan Klecko said about his Hall of Fame father, who was part of the notoriously named New York Sack Exchange. “He never put that stress on me, and I do the same thing with them [his sons]. Not even about college. Just have fun and work hard. If things work out, awesome. If not, nothing changes in life. It’s 0.01 percent that makes it to the NFL. We don’t even talk about it, and their mom keeps their heads on real straight.”
The bloodline of football royalty is still fun to talk about, or as Christian calls it, “a cool brag.” But no matter what level of football heroics are achieved, it all comes back to family.
“It’s definitely a lot to live up to,” Nate said. “But I love it. I can always go to them when I need help.”
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