If you’d like to feel old, Joe Namath is 80 years old today

[Sarge4Tide]

[The Crusher]

[Darnold's Forehead]

HB legend

[playtowinthegame]

Absolutely a fantastic article by Rich Cimini, who spent a day with "Diaper Joe". 

That's a real journalist, son. 

[LockeJET]

And my son Locke’s 21st 😝

[Jethead]

Happy Birthday Broadway Joe!

Nice story by Cimini.

[Jet Nut]

#12 is and always will be the Jets.

[Biggs]

He could still bag Zach's mom's best friend in less than 3 words.  

[WeCantDraftGoodQBs]

If there ever was a trailblazer or prototype for QB's it was Broadway Joe back in 1965!

He changed the QB position and made football into a passing game supplemented by running and not the other way around. He also was the first very highly-paid drafted rookie QB creating the precedent we all know today for rookie QB's who are selected at the top of a draft. It was so unheard of at that time that his own teammates were not very happy when he showed up for rookie camp and every defensive end around the league couldn't wait to prove The Jets wrong for paying him so much money. His 3 yr 427,000 rookie contract (which is peanuts by today's money but you factor for inflation) was the highest for any rookie athlete for any sport at that time.

Of course, as every Jets fan knows he proved all the naysayers wrong . . .  by his 2nd season the Jets finished at 500, his 3rd season they had their very first winning season ever, and in his legendary 4th season the Jets won their division for the first time, their first conference championship, and Super Bowl III despite being 19 1/2 point underdogs and was the Super Bowl MVP!

You could say Zach Wilson (who also was our top pick in the draft) has had a slightly less impressive first couple of years so far with the Jets by comparison. I know the ZW supporters think Zach just needs another season or two and he will also lead us to our first Super Bowl championship since Broadway Joe did it . . . I remain a tad bit skeptical.

A very happy 80th birthday to the one and only Joe Willie Namath!

 

[y2k8]

 

Imagine how he feels.

[NIGHT STALKER]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE WILLIE NAMATH...you got me by 5.

[undertow]

Mike Lefleur vs Paul Hacketts son SB 66

[southparkcpa]

still use Brut...because of #12

[JohnJ]

HB Joe Willie

[Jet_Engine1]

My Dad would have been 80 on 6/17. Honesty can't believe Joe outlived him...

 

Happy Birthday,  Joe.

[Kleckineau]

Congrats to #12 !

Honestly surprised he made 80 when you  consider how QBs were brutalized in his day.

Concussion? Shake it off, get back in there.

On top of all that Joe led the party life which isnt exactly the healthiest.

Dude has good genes for certain.

[jago]

God Bless Joe.