The New York Jets’ official website has confirmed that former defensive tackle Paul Rochester has passed away at 81. Terms of his death were not disclosed.
“Paul was an underrated defensive tackle who played a major role on the Jets’ Super Bowl championship team,” former Jets public relations director and Rochester’s Sewanhaka High School classmate Frank Ramos said in a statement written by Randy Lange on the team’s site. “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.