View source for Gerry Philbin

{{Short description|American football player (1941–2025)}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox gridiron football biography
| name          = Gerry Philbin
| number        = 81, 77
| position      = [[Defensive end]]
| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1941|7|31|}}
| birth_place   = [[Pawtucket, Rhode Island]], U.S.
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|2025|6|25|1941|7|31}}
| death_place   = [[Palm Beach Gardens, Florida]], U.S.
| height_ft     = 6
| height_in     = 2
| weight_lb     = 245
| high_school   = [[William E. Tolman High School|Tolman]] (Pawtucket)
| college       = [[Buffalo Bulls football|Buffalo]]
| draftyear     = 1964
| draftround    = 3
| draftpick     = 33
| afldraftyear  = 1964
| afldraftround = 3
| afldraftpick  = 19
| pastteams     =
* [[New York Jets]] ([[1964 American Football League season|1964]]-{{NFL Year|1972}})
* [[Philadelphia Eagles]] ({{NFL Year|1973}})
* [[Charlotte Hornets (WFL)|New York Stars]] ([[1974 World Football League season|1974]])
| highlights    =
* [[List of Super Bowl champions|Super Bowl champion]] ([[Super Bowl III|III]])
* [[American Football League|AFL]] champion ([[1968 American Football League Championship Game|1968]])
* 2× First-team [[All-AFL]] (1968, 1969)
* 2× [[AFL All-Star]] (1968, 1969)
* [[List of National Football League season sacks leaders|AFL sacks leader]] (1968)
* [[All-time All-AFL Team]]
* [[New York Jets#Ring of Honor|New York Jets Ring of Honor]]
* First-team All-WFL ([[World Football League#1974 All-WFL Team|1974]])
* First-team All-East ([[1963 All-East football team|1963]])
| statleague    = NFL/AFL
| statlabel1    = [[Fumble]] recoveries
| statvalue1    = 7
| statlabel2    = [[Interception]]s
| statvalue2    = 1
| statlabel3    = [[Quarterback sack|Sack]]s
| statvalue3    = 66.5
| pfr           = PhilGe00 
}}

'''Gerald John Philbin''' (July 31, 1941 – June 25, 2025) was an American professional [[American football|football]] player who played [[defensive end]] in the [[American Football League]] (AFL) and [[National Football League]] (NFL). He was a four-year [[starting lineup|starter]] playing [[college football]] for the [[Buffalo Bulls football|Buffalo Bulls]], earning several honors including second-team [[All-America college football team|All-American]], [[Little All-America team|Little All-American]], and All-American Academic team.<ref>"[https://digital.lib.buffalo.edu/items/show/3455 Buffalo President Clifford C. Furnas congratulating Gerry Philbin for his athletic accomplishments in achieving All-East Team for the fifth time]," ''Clifford C. Furnas Collection'' - University at Buffalo Libraries Digital Collections.</ref>{{Failed verification|date=June 2025}} Drafted by both the [[Detroit Lions]] of the NFL and the [[New York Jets]] of the AFL in the third round of their respective 1964 drafts, he joined the Jets and became an immediate starter and perennial [[American Football League All-League Team|All-AFL]] selection at defensive end. He played stellar defense for them for nine seasons.

Philbin was selected as an [[American Football League All-Star game|AFL All-Star]] in 1968 and 1969. A ferocious pass-rusher, Philbin recorded {{frac|14|1|2}} [[quarterback sack|sacks]] of opposing quarterbacks in 1968, helping the Jets win the [[American Football League playoffs|AFL championship]]. In Super Bowl III, Philbin anchored the Jets defense in limiting the Colts to seven points.

In 1973, he joined the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] for one season and finished his career in the short-lived [[World Football League]] as a member of the [[Charlotte Hornets (WFL)|New York Stars]] in 1974 where he joined [[Super Bowl III]] alumni [[George Sauer Jr.|George Sauer, Jr]], [[Randy Beverly]], [[John Dockery]], [[John Elliott (defensive lineman)|John Elliott]], and [[Babe Parilli|Vito (Babe) Parilli]]. He was an [[World Football League#1974 All-WFL Team|All-WFL]] selection in 1974. Philbin was a member of the [[American Football League All-Time Team|AFL All-Time Team]]. 

Philbin died from dementia in [[Palm Beach Gardens, Florida]], on June 25, 2025, at the age of 83.<ref>{{cite news|first=Richard|last= Sandomir|title=Gerry Philbin, Star Defensive End for the Jets, Dies at 83|date=June 28, 2025|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/28/sports/football/gerry-philbin-dead.html|access-date=June 30, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=June 25, 2025 |title=Philbin, key defensive cog on Jets' SB team, dies |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/45584265/former-jets-defensive-great-gerry-philbin-dies-age-83 |access-date=2025-06-26 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of American Football League players]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name| 2896719}}

{{Super Bowl III}}
{{Jets1964DraftPicks}}
{{Lions1964DraftPicks}}
{{AFL annual sacks leaders}}
{{AFL1960s}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Philbin, Gerry}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:2025 deaths]]
[[Category:American football defensive ends]]
[[Category:American football defensive tackles]]
[[Category:American Football League players]]
[[Category:Buffalo Bulls football players]]
[[Category:Charlotte Hornets (WFL) players]]
[[Category:New York Jets players]]
[[Category:New York Stars players]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Eagles players]]
[[Category:American Football League All-Star players]]
[[Category:American Football League All-Time Team]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Pawtucket, Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Providence County, Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Deaths from dementia in Florida]]