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St. Petersburg Catholic alum Marty Lyons recovering from stroke

 
Marty Lyons had 45 sacks in his 11-year NFL career and was a member of the Jets' "New York Sack Exchange."
Marty Lyons had 45 sacks in his 11-year NFL career and was a member of the Jets' "New York Sack Exchange."
Published Aug. 1, 2017

Former St. Petersburg Catholic standout Marty Lyons is recovering from a stroke he suffered three weeks ago, according to ESPN.

Lyons, 60, became a star with Alabama and the New York Jets. He is a longtime color analyst on the Jets' radio broadcasts and will miss the first two preseason games. He is hoping to return for the Aug. 26 game against the New York Giants, ESPN reported.

At SPC, Lyons played multiple sports. He was dominant as a lineman and became an anchor for Alabama's defensive front. In 1978, he was a consensus first-team All-American and helped the Crimson Tide win the national title.

The Jets selected him in the first round (14th overall) in the 1979 draft. Lyons had 45 sacks in his 11-year NFL career and was a member of the Jets' "New York Sack Exchange" that included Joe Klecko and Mark Gastineau.

In 1982, Lyons began the Marty Lyons Foundation, which grants special requests from children ages 3-17 diagnosed with terminal or life-threatening illnesses. He was named the NFL's Man of the Year for his work with the foundation in 1984. The Jets' annual Man of the Year award is named the Marty Lyons Award. Lyons remains active in his foundation.

SPC and City of St. Petersburg officials honored him with a "Marty Lyons Day" in 2006.