New York Jets Top 10 First-Round Picks of All-Time
By Nick Ziegler
Sep 20, 2014; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide former quarterback Joe Namath greets other Alabama Crimson Tide alumnus before the game against the Florida Gators at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Easily the best draft pick in Jets history was their selection of Joe Namath from the University of Alabama. Namath famously made the guarantee that the Jets would upset the highly-favored Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, which the Jets lived up to with a 16-7 victory, and Namath was named the MVP of that game.
Namath was a four-time AFL All-Star, two-time AP AFL MVP in back-to-back years, and was selected to the Pro Bowl once. Namath has his number 12 retired with the Jets, and was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1985.
Statistically Namath’s stats do not impress, as he had a 50.1% completion percentage with 173 TD and 220 INT for his career. Namath did become the first ever QB to throw for 4,000 yards in a 14-game season in 1967, as he helped begin the evolution of the game into the more pass-orientated game we see today.
Namath’s career certainly could’ve turned out to be even better if it wasn’t for his bad knees, which took away a lot of his mobility. However, Namath is the most iconic Jets player ever, and changed the game on and off the field for athletes.