Ranking the top 50 quarterbacks in NFL history…

18. Joe Namath

Drafted first overall by the New York Jets in the 1965 AFL Draft out of the University of Alabama—where he won a 1964 national championship—Namath also went 12th in the NFL Draft to the St. Louis Cardinals but signed a record $427,000 deal with the Jets, becoming an instant celebrity .

In his 12 seasons with the Jets (1965-1976), Namath revolutionized the AFL, leading the league in passing yards three times (including a then-record 4,007 in 1967) and touchdowns once. His iconic moment came in Super Bowl III, guaranteeing and delivering a 16-7 upset victory over the Baltimore Colts as 18-point underdogs, earning MVP with 206 yards passing—validating the AFL before the 1970 merger.

Namath was a five-time All-Star/Pro Bowler

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