| Joseph Pellegrini | |
| Number: | 62, 64 |
| Position: | Guard Center |
| Birth Date: | 8 April 1957 |
| Birth Place: | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 4 |
| Weight Lb: | 265 |
| High School: | Archbishop Williams (Braintree, Massachusetts) |
| College: | Harvard |
| Undraftedyear: | 1981 |
| Pastteams: | |
| Statlabel1: | Games played |
| Statvalue1: | 53 |
| Statlabel2: | Games started |
| Statvalue2: | 15 |
| Statlabel3: | Fumble recoveries |
| Statvalue3: | 1 |
| Pfr: | PellJo20 |
Joseph Anthony Pellegrini (born April 8, 1957) is a former professional American football player who played offensive lineman for five seasons for the New York Jets and the Atlanta Falcons.
Pellegrini hails from Hingham, Massachusetts.[1] He attended Archbishop Williams High School in Braintree, Massachusetts, participating in football and track and field throwing events, though he admits he was not a great athlete.[2] Pellegrini graduated as valedictorian and enrolled at Harvard University.[2]
At Harvard, Pellegrini played for the Crimson football team while also doing track and field.[3] He skipped his senior season in an attempt to qualify for the 1980 Summer Olympics as a discus thrower, training in West Germany, although he was ultimately unable to compete due to the boycott.[1] Pellegrini tried returning to the football team in 1981, but was not invited to training camp by head coach Joe Restic.[3] He instead earned his degree in geology.[1]
In 1981, Pellegrini signed a free agent deal with the New York Jets after a tryout, though he was placed on injured reserve that season due to a back injury.[1] [2] He earned a first-year salary of $25,000.[4]
Pellegrini's younger brother, Dave, became an NCAA champion in the weight throw at Princeton.[5] The two often competed against each other in Ivy League throwing events.[6]