Joe Namath's last interview before what proved to be his last game.
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- čas přidán 8. 07. 2014
- The LA Rams were in Chicago for MNF in Week 4 of the 1977 season. Little did Namath know it would be the last game he played. I interviewed him for the Bears pre-game show on WBBM Radio.
PLEASE NOTE: Bears safety Gary Fencik caught the last pass Joe Namath threw. Plank's second interception off Namath came at the end of the 3rd quarter, not the 4th.
Saw Namath play one of his last games as a Jet at Shea in '76 coming in for Todd against the Bucs. Jets crushed the Bucs in a shutout. It was my first NFL game. I still remember the standing ovation when he came into the game. Great memories
Joe was one exceptional player who gave us a great football career
Dude called his own plays, and threw zero passes in the 4th quarter of the Super Bowl win...he was smarter than people give him credit for, and could put the team above ego.
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You're most welcome. That's why I created this channel. I saved a lot of stuff over the years. Didn't know what to do with it other than to pass it on to my kids. Thanks to CZcams, a lot of other people can get some enjoyment out of it.
+Brad Palmer ..Thank you Sir! This is my day! I am now 53 and saw some of the BEST era's in sports and music!
+Nicky Depaola
Your comment just made MY day. Thank you!
Wish Joe never left NY. A Ram?
Every professional football player should respect this man. He is the reason they are paid those ridiculous salaries. It all started with Mr. “Broadway” Joe Namath. Legend!
I realized how great he was a few years after SB3, when he missed the first half of the season. Then he went back in, and the Jets didn't lose again.
Bless his heart. He tried so hard. I’m from Alabama and I’ll always think he’s the best
Yes he was…..always the best, always, Broadway Joe, but first he was BAMA RTR
Love Joe Namath 🏈
Thank you for posting this.
I grew up in New York as a Giants fan (still am), but always loved Joe Namath.
He is a legend who changed the game.
I like Eli more than Peyton.
@@sonicbobomb15 All the Mannings are really something special.
Thank you so much for this! I was a young fan of Joe in California so never got to see him much until he came to L.A. where I saw him every week, so this is still a very special time in his career for me. Thanks a million for uploading this!
Man- I see Jackie Slater on the field blocking for Namath and I think "He was there for Namath, for Super Bowl XIV, for Anaheim Stadium, for Dickerson, and even the move to St. Louis!" Joe Namath may be pro football's most iconic figure, but Jackie Slater is easily the biggest icon of the Rams franchise.
Marky Billson his kid is gonna beat the Rams in the super bowl this year. Also Pats/Chiefs better wear white and let the Rams wear the LA jerseys in the Super Bowl. Don’t wanna see those St. Louis threads at all!
Jackie Slater's first season, OJ runs for 1500yds with the Bills. Slater's last season, OJ has just been found Not Guilty in his murder case.
@@RichV20 Wow!
@@RichV20
Frank Tanana: Only pitcher to give up home runs to Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds.
I enjoyed watching this Mr. Palmer. Joe Namath was my boyhood idol. Hated to see him go to the Rams. Thanks so much for sharing.
So did I. In 1977 his career was over and he was a bench warmer. Ram fans didn't want a has been.
Namath was incredibly beat up by this time. He always had the bad knees but by now his legs and arm were both shot as well. That said, it was always exciting to see Namath play.
somerville99 his legs sabotaged his arm. His arm was 100%. It’s your legs that QBs depend on to throw. Joe was the 1st developed modern thrower. At the end here his legs are not helping him at all. He’s not driving off his back leg, he’s not getting hip rotation or anything. He only using his arm.
Love the guy at the end that shakes his hand coming off the field,respect.
Joe is a smart unselfish player bless joe Namath,I worked with his cousin in pa,
Thank you for the videos ..namath was the best.
No football player ever enjoyed their celebrity and STILL remained so humble like Broadway Joe.
I old enough to remember when he was King Of The World. He could do no wrong.
Enjoy these old interviews, thanx for posting.
Glad you enjoyed it. There's a lot more where this came from on my Channel.
I will keep checking more out, thank u again, really enjoy.
Great stuff, Brad. I was a Pats fan but Broadway Joe was great to watch in his prime. His arm strength and quick release were clearly gone with the Rams and he was right to hang it up.
I was 12 years old at the time and a huge Rams fan. I was born and raised in Chicago, so no idea how I came to be a Rams fan, but my parents understood my passion, and for my birthday that year surprised me with tickets for the game. It was cold, raining, windy, a miserable day. The Rams blew a big lead late by allowing two bombs to,James Scott. I was devastated. The Bears fans on the bus on the way home were brutal.
However, it is one of my best childhood memories. The excitement and pride I felt in going to represent my team was unforgettable. I'm still a big fan after two relocations and many bad seasons.
Thank you for sharing. Joe sure was banged up, listening to him describe his injuries how did he even play? Thanks again...
Joe Namath played for my two favorite teams
I remember this season. I live in Los Angeles and have always loved the Rams. The owner at the time Carroll Rosenbloom had a practice of trading for players that were near the end of their careers. Namath was a great quarterback but by the mid
1970s he was sadly a shadow of his former self. Keep in mind in the 1960s and 1970s the medical technology did not exist to better heal injured athletes like you have today.
He could play quarterback. Called his own plays. And
Also played when receivers were jammed up all the way
Down the field different rules back then Knew how to use his running backs SMART QB. One of the Best.
Love this video. More jets and Namath videos please
Fantastic, i am so happy i came across this, will cherish!!, for some reason, there is VERY little footage of this game, on ABC archives, MNF, etc..strange, theres about a 8 minute clip somewhere on youtube and thats about it, again thank you!!
You can tell that Broadway joe legs were gone in this video
He did his best.
❤️ Joe Namath; Broadway Joe;;
Namath made big adjustments in his passing technique in his final year. He almost went back to his college dropback style of bouncing on his feet right before he threw. His was using all arm and shoulder at this point to lessen the impact on his knees and couldn't get the velocity that he needed. I wish he would have retired a Jet after his lucky number of 12 years there.
Joe Namath was a great athlete in collage and as a Pro enough said.
Joe Namath; first AFC champions quarterback: first 4000 yards in s season
Joe Namath was "King of New York"
Broadway Joe Namath
Joe Namath was truly a gifted and tough competitor.I saw him play as I was in university when the Jets won the Super Bowl.The NFL gang never really got over it and still to this day he is reviled by survivors of that time.I am a physician and from a medical standpoint(due to to lack of arthroscopic tools at the time),Joe's career was over before it started.Yet he was able by age 25 to achieve the near impossible.In my opinion,during that time,Namath was the best quarterback I have ever seen.The NFL Top 100 a few years back listed Joe as number 100-a travesty which again goes back to the resentment many still feel towards him.I guess the real tragedy is that for those of us that never saw Joe at Alabama,we can never know what a truly remarkable athlete a "healthy" Joe Namath was.
docsmithdc SPOT-ON.
Joe had it kinda tough with the Jets - great receivers and running backs, but the offensive line was generally weak. Most of Joe's dropping back to pass involved scrambling back to 30 yards behind the line of scrimmage - and he was still an ace from there!
He was famous for his arm what a cannon. But he was also famous for the quickness of his throws. With the speed of defensive lineman the QB has to have that quick arm throw to survive.
Yeah. Cosell wrote how Lombardi felt Joe never reached his full potential. Too much partying & distractions. Yet it's hard to see Joe with a coach other than Weeb. Joe was a free spirit--college was over & he bloomed under more freedom
@@jimmiefrancis142 I beg to differ my friend-I saw that line and it was excellent.As a matter of fact ,the line was so big and strong that the Jets at that time did not run sweeps.I appreciate your post but I have to disagree.
A LEGEND!! Everyone gets old! Father time is UNDEFEATED! Not every ending is a good one!
It's amazing to see how the uniforms have changed over the years. Can you imagine those being used in today's game...for instance the helmets. Wow. Awesome footage. Thanks for sharing
When the Jets first brought him in, they said that he had at least three to four years of decent playing left. That was because of his knees.
Only expected to last 4 seasons. He did the impossible and also managed one flawless game against abhorrent odds with a great team by his side. If you can have one perfect day
in the center of the limelight you're blessed. God bless, Broadway Joe.
Great stuff Mr. Palmer!! Love it!
Thanks Matthew.
I remember at the time it was said "has Namath gone from Broadway Joe to Hollywood Joe?".
People who say Joe namath was overrated have never played a snap of (high school) football,let alone the NFL
I remember that whole Namath thing being a tough watch. I was in high school. We were lucky enough to get the Rams as late games early that season. (Rockford, IL TV market) Too bad he didn’t just retire a Jet. The highlight of that season was watching my Vikings beat the Rams in the playoffs in a mud fest. Of course, still waiting for my Vikings to do anything at all in the post-season.
People tend to forget about the innumerable knee surgeries he had, imagine what he would have been able to do, had he'd been healthy during his pro career.
I suppose that logic applies to about a million other guys well...
@@jeffsmith2022 Namath's knees were a wreck before he took one snap as a pro
It’s sacrilege to see him in a Rams uniform. Go Jets
Crazy Go Rams
I remember this game like it was yesterday! I was 13 years old and a huge Bears fan. This was also the game that I remember becoming a big James Scott fan. He caught two 70 yard TD's from Slo Mo Bob!
Slo Mo Bob! LMAO
He was painful to watch.
Surprised none of scrambles got flagged for Delay of Game.
WOW. I have the Joe Namath Beany Baby Superbowl series. Jets
The final "catch," i.e., INT, by Doug Plank, the namesake of the 46 Defense.
I was at that game. The 4th down stop earlier in the game by the Bears was right in front of us, as we were sitting on the one yard line. I lived in northern Indiana, got home very late, and skipped school the next day.
Brett Favre's last game was also against the Bears. He was sacked by somebody in gruesome fashion and it was so long, Brett.
I can remember watching this game without understanding it's significance. Broadway Joe having become Hollywood Joe at this point was playing his last season of NFL football. One of the games most accurate passers had lost something. It didn't help that his Rams team mates during that Philly game seemed less than enthused about helping him out. I shudder to think that this was some form of pay back for his Super Bowl III "guarantee". I still love Joe Willie.
Should have been greatest QB of all time.
At that point, Namath was playing on pure reputation.
Hell, his knees were shot back as a rookie in 1965.
Thing is, at that late date, his arm was gone as well.
rushmore IV yeah. I think his arm was still fine. But as a QB you legs are as critical. The health of his legs hurt his throwing.
Looks like he was throwing pretty good to me.A more aggressive reciever would have turned some of those incomplete passes into completions.
Imagine Namath paired w/Swann & Stallworth. Tony Hill. John Jefferson.
@@bernieudo4399 ridiculous, swann and Stallworth?OK, Swann and Stallworth,played on the the last true dynasty in NFL history, the jets never had the defense the 70s steelers had, Dan Fouts had an explosive offense, but no defense
@@djtennessee9014 My point is Namath didn't have the speedsters other teams had. NFL kicked it into another gear in late '70s with intro of five yard bump rule, effectively unleashing the passing game. Jets had Caster & Riggins, but not the threats like Branch, Hill, Jefferson, Swann. Story in mid seventies would've been different.
I notice that most people who call Namath overrated are: (1) Too young to have ever seen him play, or (2) Fantasy football stat geeks who aren't aware of the pre-1978 pass defense rules. Namath had carte blanche when it came to the Jets offense; he WAS their defacto offensive coordinator. If he wanted to, he could have thrown in 50 times a game. But he was the ultimate team player who knew how to use his running backs to set up the long pass. He called all his own plays, and in Super Bowl III, instead of putting the ball in the air 30 times, he used Boozer and Snell of wear down that Colt defense. That was his decision alone. He didn't even throw a pass in the 4th quarter. I also hear the overrated argument about Bob Griese, another selfless QB who sacrificed his stats for the good of the team. None of the players who played against either of these guys have ever called them overrated. And when you consider the fact that defensive backs were basically able to rape the receivers from the line of scrimmage all the way down the field prior to 1978, your appreciation for guys like Namath grows.
drummer083 You make a lot of good points. Joe's legacy is that he gave the AFL an identity it didn't have before. The AFL was considered an inferior league. Virtually nobody gave them much of a chance in Super Bowl III. The so-called experts said it would take a few more year for them to compete at the NFL level. Namath changed that perception. He was the MVP of the Super Bowl and no doubt played a big role in the completion of the merger a year later when the AFL was replaced by the AFC of the NFL.
drummer083 I unfortunately never got to see the man play, but I do appreciate his legacy and his impact on the sport. Also can't get over how legendary he was for wearing fur coats on the sidelines. Epic. But could you please explain in more detail about the pre-1978 rule? What exactly did they change?
Afghan Jesus The NFL was concerned that defenses were too dominant with the result that games were low-scoring and had too many FGs as too few TDs. So they decided to open up the game by limiting what a defensive back could do in defending a receiver. Up to 1978, a defender could jam a receiver all the way down the field so long as he kept the receiver in front of him. In 1978, the NFL put in the 5-yard chuck rule. It stated that a defender could only jam a receiver within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage. After that, he couldn't touch him or it would be pass interference. The result was a significant increase in touchdown passes.
Yes, what Brad described is the Mel Blount Rule. Receivers who were running downfield routes were able to be hit by defensive players, which more often than not altered the desired passing route resulting in incomplete passes, or interceptions. The other 1978 rule that aided the offense was the rule that allowed offensive linemen to extend their arms to block. Prior to 1978, offensive linemen had to hold their arms close to their bodies to block, and with closed fists. The average league completion percentage in 1977 was 52.4% Seems pretty horrible by todays gaudy standards, but if a QB hit 55-60% of their passes they were considered elite.
+Afghan Jesus He only wore the fur coat on the sidelines twice, the first time in 1971 when he was injured and the second time when he went out for the ceremonial coin toss before Super Bowl XLVIII in Feb 2014. That's 2 too many but its part of his legacy that made him famous.
Mr Palmer, you are as impressive as Broadway Joe you also get some terrific work as a team player sharing year experiences with us all the best to you and your family God bless you thank you for all you've done.
If they hadn't used him up and spit him out in the 60s, he could've been even greater than he was. They destroyed his knees to get him back out there. He was the first "modern" QB, a real gunslinger with tons of swagger and a cannon arm. He will never be forgotten or surpassed for what he accomplished in a time when passing was the least exciting part of the game. Till he came.
I think you're forgetting John Unitas. He led the Baltimore Colts to NFL titles in 1958, 1959, 1968, and Super Bowl V. He went out in the second quarter of Super Bowl V, but the Colts still won. The 1958 title games is called "the greatest game ever played" and did for pro football what Arnold Palmer did for golf, raise it to new heights. Unitas also threw TD passes in 47 straight games, a record that lasted for 52 years until Drew Brees broke it in 2012. A Sporting News poll of the top 100 NFL players of all-time ranks Unitas 9th and Namath 96th. But Namath was and is a sports icon for what he did in Super Bowl III. That game led to the merger of the NFL and AFL.
I saw the legend play twice as a kid both games at San Francisco with the jets and the Rams. THE JETS VICTORY OVER THE COLTS WAS A HUGE TURNING POINT FOR THE AFL. GO BROADWAY JOE.
I just got this Rams/eagles game on dvd but did not watch it yet. I am a lifer Cowboys fan in Philly, I just HAD to get this game for my library. Joe Willie beating the eagles is a beautiful thing. Too bad it did not work out for Joe. I would have LOVED to seen Doomsday clean his clock LOL. I like Joe..good guy.
Post it
thanks for sharing +BradPalmer
I was 11 when I watched this game and my father allowed me to stay up, which was a treat. I remember it well, because of Namath of course, but it was also the game that James Scott became my new favorite player (besides Walter of course). I think he caught two 70 yard bombs for touchdowns that night.
Thing I learned from Broadway Joe. Is to go out a Winner 🏆 not a looser, . Joe Montana the best Example of going out a Winner. And Maintaining Best QB ever
Great points made. Sports, athletes and rules of the game evolve over time. That's why comparisons between athletes of different eras unfair. In Namath's era, quarterbacks were judged more on if you won the game as opposed to completion percentage and interception ratio. That didn't come into vogue until Walsh and Montana came along in the 1980's when stat people proved that the teams that won more often were the teams that controlled the ball with longer time of possession. Other teams copied the west coast offense or Parcell's run oriented offense to control the time of possession.
Mr joe namath, my hero. Broadway joe,firdt quarterback to led to victory over nfc in the superbowl, grest college football player
Fencik actually had the last pick. Plank’s was the 2nd to last.
You are correct. The NFL game summary is no longer available and the video I found didn't include the Fencik interception which no doubt contributed to my erroneous impression. But a book on Bears history states that the Plank interception came at the end of the 3rd quarter, not the 4th and that Fenick did indeed catch Namath's final pass. Thanks for setting the record straight.
Namath would been a better option in the '77 "Mud Bowl" game against the Vikings...
Watch Joe's bootleg against The Giants at The Yale Bowl in '74. He was moving in slo motion. He should have retired after that season he would have been seen like Gale Sayers, short but brilliant career but wrecked by bad knees.
Brad, Why can I find no game footage from this MNF game between the Rams and the Bears except for this post? Joe did join the MNF crew after this game and I wonder...
I don't recall how I came across this footage. Perhaps CZcams has blocked it.
...One of the great combinations of all time, was Namath to Maynard
David R
No question.👍
Maynard was targeted once in super bowl III.
In beaver falls pa, they the coaches would say hit thin in the knees it the closest thing to you no injury to the tackler , every year I played it’s was on the knees every year because I was crazy strong I had to quit they fucked up my knees every year beaver falls pa.
I was at the Monday night game
@tube tv: That’s funny, I don’t remember seeing you there ? 🤔
yeah, people say joe was overrated as a pro quarterback, he didn't have the stats. so how did he get into the hall of fame so quickly? and how did his HS team win the championship? and how did the Tide win the National Championship when he just happened to be QB. and how did the Jets win that game? these are questions alright
Joes knees were ruined in junior high
Always a BIG Joe Wille fan and the guy was as smooth as The Johnny Walker scotch he drank, but to be honest he had one magical year that made him who he was.
I don't care. Joe Namath was the most exciting quarterback ever to watch play the game for those first few years....
Didn't know Namath was 0-5 on MNF
1977 Bears started 1-2, gave up 42 previous week to Saints & were about to fall out of the playoff race before the World Series even started. They needed that game badly.
IDK why Namath was starting, but glad he was.
+Jason Richards He was in the first MNF game ever, a 31-21 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sept, 21, 1970. Over 45 years ago!
The Rams inserted Pat Haden after jettisoning Joe. The offense didn't look much better.
Namath’s td to int ratio for his final two seasons with the jets was 19 to 44, and he completed less than 50% of his passes. Plus, he couldn’t run.
Muhammad Ali: “Stay around too long and you get your butt kicked.”
Look who is to the right of Knox and Namath at :35, none other than good old Al Cowling.
"This is AC, you know who I am, got OJ in the car"
Namath was on his last legs there , he could barely even throw a block sad to say. I get that the Rams then didn't wanna turn the team over to a young QB. They thought they could get 1 more season from Broadway Joe. But you can tell Joe's mind was willing but the body couldn't.
And so it ended for so MANY middle aged men throughout the U.S. on that field in Chicago.
When did Hayden replace Namath as the starter? Later in the Season?
In remembering this game, Namath was hard to watch as he just wasn't his usual self. HC Chuck Knox made the switch at halftime and put in Pat Haden. That's right, Namath would never play another down again as Haden led them the rest of the way. The Rams will go on to win the NFC West before losing to Minnesota 14-7 in the NFC Divisional Playoff game in L.A. in the rain. The Rams would release Joe Namath at seasons end.
There have been better quarterbacks than Joe Namath over the years, but not one of them were IT like he was. Not even Tom Brady.
No matter what, Joe spoke with eloquence and class. An absolute gentleman. What girl wouldn't want to kiss him? (in his prime)
Except Nameth was inappropriate with a sideline female reporter about wanting to kiss her and take her clothes off. I guess he couldn't help himself at the moment.
I'm sorry but terry Nelson was not going too catch that ball. He was nowhere In the picture. plank was just in the right spot and capitalized on the over throw
I was at the last game he played in it rained like hell that night Pat Hadden started that game and did not have a good game Joe came in and was as bad or worse Coach Knox was fired the next day. It was sad to see Joe go out that way but on the other hand Joe has had a far better life than me not even close
Yes, Namath's last game was on Monday night at Chicago in week 4 of 1977. The box score says that Haden also played. However, the Rams didn't fire Knox, he left on his own, and not till after the season.
I used to play football in the yard in the 1970s with my brothers. I would hit them gently in the back with my forearm, and I would
say, "I am Doug Planking you!"
Many greats stay until its WAY too late. I recall watching Dan Marino's last game, a play-off game in Jacksonville, he was as bad as any QB can be and the score of that game reflected so. 62-7.
Obviously, Joe Namath was never meant for Los Angeles.
He should have done what Joe Theismann did give it to John Riggins.
Football is like boxing....ur days are numbered...the trick is to get out at the right time....Joe didnt..
Nothing to bad mouth him, but Joe's stats don't stack up against some of the all time greats of quarterbacks.
Bears LB Waymond Bryant essentially ended Namath's career.
Worse than that, it's the last video memory of Joe I have - barely - still in my head. Still trying to find a video clip of that hit. I remember him running along the sidelines with the ball and took a hit right on his knee/thigh area, possibly from a helmet. It's something that's hard to forget, but after almost 40 years, it's getting hard to remember!
E3Racer1..."Football Digest" once voted this game as (forget exactly where it was actually ranked...7 or 8 I think) one of the top ten MNF games ever played. Pretty impressive considering Howard Cosell was off doing the World Series and I only thought he was there because of his voice over the halftime highlights...or maybe he was getting drunk on Rush St....oh well. Was a great game in Bears history for sure. ...I seem to recall some heat generated in the Los Angeles Times over Bryant's hit...Hollywood Joe's teammates were also upset at the way Doug Plank played and vowed revenge. ...in retrospect; it kinda bums me out that Pardee went for Simpson's record instead of kicking the FG. ... the Bears would have played '77 NFC playoffs against the Rams (in the mud) if they beat the Vikes 13-7 instead of 10-7 at Soldier Field. ...but of course, there was no stopping the Cowboys that year.
Still not quite sure how is in The HOF and Kenny Stabler is not? I think they're pretty similar statistically? I understand the off field persona bit, but.... Oh well :-/
+pr10s Stabler deserves to be in along with Namath.
+pr10s I believe the reasons are because for one thing you need a certain number of votes by the HOF committee. Also, as silly as it sounds the HOF has this straight-laced puritan mentality of not always allowing players with black clouds so to speak in the Hall. Case in point, Bob Hayes was only inducted posthumously after being stalled due to a criminal background.
+pr10s Stabler belongs, and hopefully he'll get in this year. I was very disappointed when Tim Brown got in last year despite the fact that a superior player, Cliff Branch, is still on the outside looking in. This is part of the problem when comparing eras. Branch's stats pale in comparison to Brown's, but seeing them both play, it's clear that Branch was by far the superior player, and was a major contributor to three Super Bowl winners.
He became 3rd string and he was so bad they moved rookie Vince Ferragamo ahead on the depth chart. Amazing he was 6 years younger than Tom Brady is now
John Harman Had about 1,000,000 knee surgeries, also.
NFC in early seventies really made Joe pay. See MNF opening showing Lions defender zeroing on Joe's knee & Joe's far from the action @ sidelines. Today's NFL would not tolerate its star QB targeted.
The rams should have let namath play the whole season, might have won the super bowl, from watching the films he could still throw the football
That third Super Bowl, Jets vs Colts was FIXED and some rich guys got even richer! Proof? Colts QB Earl Morrell ignores a ridiculously open WR for an easy TD and instead throws an in-completion to a receiver already double-covered. That one play wins the game for the Colts. Morrell later claimed "I didn't see him open". Yeah, right. The entire stadium saw him open!!!
Marvin Thiessen He made a mistake. That’s not solid evidence to claim that this super bowl was rigged..
I agree, by itself it doesn't mean the game was rigged, however, most football fans alive then concur some elites made a small fortune betting against the heavily favored Colts. Maybe someday a former player will come forward and tell the truth. I'm neither a Jets or Colts fan.
Was that Jimmy Orr? Recall a clip years ago w/Orr (Colts fans know) waving, but Mortal not spotting him. How about Game 7 of the 1971 W.S. w/Powell cutting off a throw from the outfield (meant for Hendricks @ plate) allowing Pirates to score, winning WS. After game interviews mention zip & no losers interviews. Play the clip over & still makes no sense. Feel for Baltimore fans.
I don't care if the team is strug-gal-ing. I want to kiss you 🍻💏
once a playa ALWAYS a PLAYA. Yeah broadway Joe shag!
By mid 70s namath was a aging QB and was totally done by 1977..
Before the 75 season namath was one of the most dangerous QB ..of that that era...
He talked about his hamstrings after 1974 many times and how he basically threw with no legs under him. It was obvious to see how he was just throwing with his upper body and he was a statue not able to move. He was never healthy after 1969 and was never 100% healthy in the NFL.
Reputation on one game. I am old enough to have seen him play and as the saying goes when the legend is more exciting than the truth, print the legend.
Too bad that they retired Joe Namath after four games because of another leg injury.
Namath threw more interceptions than touchdown passes. He is in the Hall of Fame because of one game: Super Bowl III. I don't disagree that he should be in the Hall but don't try and make him into a great quarterback. He simply wasn't. He had, at most, 3 good years. Ken Stabler was much much better than Namath.
+ingenuitas You obviously never saw him play. Like John Unitas the very presence of the man on the field made his team better. The very threat of his passing effected the opposing teams defense and the way they played. He gave his team the belief he could get the job done even if he couldn't. You just don't read those intangibles in stats. He was a leader, Greatness is not always measured in pure numbers.
Saw him play. A lot. Super Bowl III was the best Super Bowl ever in my opinion. Always been a fan of Namath. Actually quit watching football for a time after he retired. But he wasn't John Unitas.
Joe threw a lot of pics, he forced balls into coverage. But the game was way different in the 60's AFL. It was not like today when its 3rd and 10 and they dump it off short and then let the great punters of today flip field position. Back then guys like Namath, Lamonica and Hadl wouldn't be caught dead throwing a dump off pass. they would put it down the field past the first down markers and go for the first down. If Namath played today with the rules changes allowing offensive holding and minimal contact on wide receivers, he would be in the Tom Brady Peyton Manning class. A better comparison would be if Manning and Brady played in the 60's and seeing how they would survive when Kill the qb was part of the game and you could go for the knees and head without being penalized, not to mention late hits after the ball was released being legal..
Excellent observation. Agreed.
Also the first qb to throw for over 4,000 yards in a season("Bump and run" Era, no less).