A Jets official last night confirmed that Leon Hess has been hospitalized, but the team would not state his condition.

According to sources, the 85-year-old owner of the Jets has been at Lenox Hill Hospital for at least a week with what is believed to be a broken hip.

This is the second visit to the hospital for Hess in the last year. Last summer, he had some back problems that sidelined him from his daily activities.

It is believed that Jets’ front-office personnel have spent some time visiting Hess in the hospital, though business seemed to be very much as usual at Weeb Ewbank Hall yesterday, with no indication of grave concern among Hess’ Jet employees.

Hess, who has always led an extremely private life, has been relatively active in his support of the team since hiring Bill Parcells prior to the ’97 season. In March he attended the NFL owners’ meetings in Phoenix, where people who saw and spoke with him said he looked fine.