Joe Namath Biography

Joseph William Namath, born May 31, 1943, played professional football for 13 seasons primarily with the New York Jets in the AFL and NFL. Namath earned first-team All-SEC honors and won a national championship with the Alabama Crimson Tide in 1964. Selected first overall by the New York Jets in the 1965 AFL draft, he began his professional career with the team. He was named AFL MVP twice and led the league in passing yards during his five seasons in the AFL, winning one AFL title and one Super Bowl. After the 1970 AFL–NFL merger, Namath played in the NFL with the Jets, earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors in 1972. He guaranteed a Jets victory in Super Bowl III before defeating the NFL’s Baltimore Colts in a major upset. Namath received Super Bowl MVP honors and became the first quarterback to win both a college national championship and a major professional title.