Joseph William Namath (/'neIm@th/ NAY-meth, born May 31 1943) is a former American football quarterback who was a part of the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, mostly with the New York Jets. He played college football at Alabama and won the national championship in his senior year and was drafted by the Jets first overall in the 1965 AFL Draft. He was twice named MVP, twice leading the league in passing yards. He was the team's leader, leading the Jets to one AFL championship and one Super Bowl. These two wins remain the Jets' only championships. Following the merger between the AFL and the NFL in the year 1970, Namath joined the NFL with the Jets which was the NFL's touchdowns and passing yards leading player in 1972. Namath continued to play in New York for seven seasons and his final year being spent with the Los Angeles Rams. In 1969, Namath made his mark by ensuring that his weak Jets were victorious in Super Bowl III. The Jets beat the NFL's Baltimore Colts in one the most famous sports upsets. The Super Bowl victory was the first time for the AFL franchise, removing perceptions that their teams were not as good as the NFL's teams and proving they would enter the merger as equals. Namath received Super Bowl MVP honors in the game, while also becoming the first quarterback to win both a college national championship and a major professional championship.Nicknamed "Broadway Joe", Namath became a media icon who attracted mainstream popularity outside of sports. Namath remains one of the most adored and recognizable figures in the league despite his win-loss record and stats being insignificant. Namath was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
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