Gerry Philbin, a star defensive end for the New York Jets during the AFL days and a member of the 1968 Super Bowl champion team, died Wednesday at the age of 83, the team announced.

Gerry Philbin, one of the AFL's most decorated pass rushers of the 1960s and an essential member of the New York Jets ' famous triumph in Super Bowl III, died Wednesday the Jets organization said. He was 83.

A legendary NFL player from the Jets’ Super Bowl era has died. Gerry Philbin was 83 years old. The team called Philbin "the undersized, big-hearted, highly productive and well-decorated defensive end for almost one stellar decade" in the announcement of his death. His family said the cause of death was dementia, Sports Illustrated reported.