Why is Joe Namath in the HOF?

[Behindenemylines]

Plus he would visit integrated families that had a very sick/terminal child that wanted a visit from him as their dying wish. He would throw the ole pigskin around with them and their friends when he could....oh sh$t that was a Brady bunch episode.  Sorry

[Stanley Lombardi]

 

 

1 hour ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Seriously, every time I see him doing a commercial I just look at him and ask why?  
 

In his entire career, he only had 2 seasons where he had more TDs than INTs (and barely had more in those 2 seasons).  I mean he literally made the HOF over one game prediction and wearing fur coats.  It’s a travesty he’s in the HOF while so many other players with substantially better careers are not.  
 

I mean he finished his career with 173 TDs to 220 INTs and a dismal 65 QB Rating.  

 

For the space of maybe 5 years, Namath was the most famous player in football.  Somewhere in that sentence lies the kernel of his inclusion in the "Hall of Fame."  See if you can locate it.

[Nextmanup]

58 minutes ago, wnyguy said:

Perhaps it's because he and the New York Jets legitimized the teams from the old AFL as being as good as the established NFL teams. 

This is the answer.

 

He was the young, dynamic, cocky face of the newcomer AFL in its infancy and he predicted--and achieved--a victory against the established NFL in Superbowl III.

 

He probably gets in on that alone.

 

 

[BuffaninSarasota]

Why does the moon look like Swiss cheese? (Will Ferrell impersonating Harry Caray)

[First Round Bust]

why is John Stallworth in ?  esp when his counter-part Lynn Swann is in as well during the era of ground-n-pound..simply cuz the Steelers were all that...just like Broadway Joe was

[SoTier]

43 minutes ago, MJS said:

People bring it up that it was a different era and there are other QB's in the HofF who also have thrown more picks than TD's.

 

But what they fail to mention is that Namath also lost more games than he won.

 

First off, "different eras" doesn't come close to describing what pro football was like in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and especially for QBs.    QBs had virtually no protection from anything except late hits.  The measure of a good/great QB was his ability to stand in a collapsing pocket and heave the ball downfield to a WR 30 or more yards beyond the LOS -- and to know when to do it because QBs called their own plays back then.   Receivers were regularly mugged by LBs and DBs ... and it was perfectly legal.  In that kind of game,  a completion percentage of 50% was about the best QBs could do, and frequently throwing far down field resulted in lots of INTs. 

 

As for Namath losing more games than he lost, QBs don't play the game alone.  They didn't then and they don't now.  For most of Namath's career, the Jets sucked.   Part of that was, like most of the AFL teams that joined the NFL, the Bills included, they simply didn't have enough NFL caliber talent to compete regularly with the established NFL teams, three of which moved to the new AFC: Baltimore Colts, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers.   The Colts dumped Don Shula after failing to make the playoffs after the 1969 season and went on to win the Super Bowl the next season.  Shula went on the Dolphins where he proceeded to make the Jets suffer for that SB win for a couple of decades.

[MJS]

5 minutes ago, SoTier said:

 

First off, "different eras" doesn't come close to describing what pro football was like in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and especially for QBs.    QBs had virtually no protection from anything except late hits.  The measure of a good/great QB was his ability to stand in a collapsing pocket and heave the ball downfield to a WR 30 or more yards beyond the LOS -- and to know when to do it because QBs called their own plays back then.   Receivers were regularly mugged by LBs and DBs ... and it was perfectly legal.  In that kind of game,  a completion percentage of 50% was about the best QBs could do, and frequently throwing far down field resulted in lots of INTs. 

 

As for Namath losing more games than he lost, QBs don't play the game alone.  They didn't then and they don't now.  For most of Namath's career, the Jets sucked.   Part of that was, like most of the AFL teams that joined the NFL, the Bills included, they simply didn't have enough NFL caliber talent to compete regularly with the established NFL teams, three of which moved to the new AFC: Baltimore Colts, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers.   The Colts dumped Don Shula after failing to make the playoffs after the 1969 season and went on to win the Super Bowl the next season.  Shula went on the Dolphins where he proceeded to make the Jets suffer for that SB win for a couple of decades.

Blah blah blah.

 

He wasn't a winner. He won one great, historic game and that is why he is in. And I think he probably deserves to be in just because of how momentous that win was, but it is pretty sad for the franchise that Namath is the best they've had.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

1 hour ago, Chaos said:

In person Joe Namath is one of the nicest most personable people you could ever meet. I suspect the sports writers who vote for the hall of fame truly liked the  guy. 

Free kisses! 😘

[First Round Bust]

Just now, MJS said:

Blah blah blah.

 

He wasn't a winner. He won one great, historic game and that is why he is in. And I think he probably deserves to be in just because of how momentous that win was, but it is pretty sad for the franchise that Namath is the best they've had.

Namath is to the Jets, what Seaver is to the Mets...1969 made the legends...Seaver's body of work much more impressive and Hall-of-Fame beyond any doubts, so dont go there friendoes

[Bray Wyatt]

He was also the first to pass for over 4k yards in a season

 

Lasted until 1979 when Fouts broke it, but did so in a 16 game season where Namath did it in 14

Edited September 4, 2020 by Bray Wyatt

[K-9]

39 minutes ago, BuffaninSarasota said:

Why does the moon look like Swiss cheese? (Will Ferrell impersonating Harry Caray)

[BuffaninSarasota]

1 minute ago, K-9 said:

 

BINGO !!!!

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

1 hour ago, Alphadawg7 said:

I have to disagree that just being part of the NFL's story makes you HOF worthy.  And while its called the Hall of Fame, we all know that the basis of the HOF is to enshrine its best.  Not its most flamboyant, flashy, or famous.  Otherwise guys like Jim McMahon would be in there too.  

 

I don't disagree that Namath has a place in the story of the history of the NFL, but so do a lot of people also not in the HOF.  I mean, he has a case to be the worst player of any sport enshrined into its HOF.  

 

Namath was not a good QB, thats just the facts.  And no one would care at all about him had he not made that prediction, just like no one cares about many underdog teams QB's who won the SB.  Without the prediction, he's just a flashy but bad QB from NY who hit lightning in a bottle one time...for one game.   

 

 

 

So then why is he in the HOF if it's not  for the story part?

 

And stating he shouldn't be in the HOF isn't an answer because he is there.  So then why, if not the story, not the talent, then why??

[Rocky Landing]

Nobody played better hungover than Namath.

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2020 by Rocky Landing

[sherpa]

Regardless of his stats, or the fact that he was responsible for AFL credibility, the man was a simply great "thrower."

I used to go to those games two hours early, because a friend's dad was an usher.

I watched all of the QB's throw during warm ups.

 

Nobody, Bills QB or visitors, threw lasers like he did.

His ball was like a snap. Incredibly quick release, almost no trajectory.

It was a string, whether a five yard out or a thirty yard post.

He's in the Hall of Fame because he beat the Colts, but that man could throw.

Edited September 4, 2020 by sherpa

[smuvtalker]

2 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Seriously, every time I see him doing a commercial I just look at him and ask why?  
 

In his entire career, he only had 2 seasons where he had more TDs than INTs (and barely had more in those 2 seasons).  I mean he literally made the HOF over one game prediction and wearing fur coats.  It’s a travesty he’s in the HOF while so many other players with substantially better careers are not.  
 

I mean he finished his career with 173 TDs to 220 INTs and a dismal 65 QB Rating.  

Statistically impossible to disagree with you on this.   His stats defy logic as to why he's in Canton.  Perhaps "moxie"???  Flair??  Beats the crap out of me.  

[Taro T]

13 minutes ago, Bray Wyatt said:

He was also the first to pass for over 4k yards in a season

 

Lasted until 1979 when Fouts broke it, but did so in a 16 game season where Namath did it in 14

 

Yep.

 

He won the national championship for Bama in '64 & it was a huge coup the he ended up w/ the Jets of the upstart AFL rather than in the NFL.  He added a huge degree of respectability to the AFL.

 

As somebody said upthread, he was far and away tue most visible football player of the late '60's.  It helped being based out of NYC, but he was the face of the AFL and was probably even more recognized than Unitas, Butkus, or Starr. 

 

And nobody expected the Jets to keep the SB close, much less actually win it.  Even without the prediction, with all the rest, as soon as they won the SB he became an eventual lock for the HoF.

 

OP brings up Jim McMahon..  Very few people speak of McMahon & he was overshadowed on that '85 team by Sweetness, the Fridge, & Singletary (Even Ditka & Buddy Ryan are more recognizable & remembered today IMHO).  NOBODY overshadowed Broadway Joe.

[Rico]

Nice thread, proving yet again that stats are for losers.

[Don Otreply]

2 hours ago, Logic said:

When it comes to Hall of Fame inclusion, I’ve always subscribed to the criteria “can you tell the story of the NFL without including this player?”
 

In the case of Joe Namath, you cannot.

This ^^^
 

And he Drops the 🎤 

[BuffaninSarasota]

He gets in for those Aqua Velva commercials