Joe Namath in NFL History
Joe Namath (1943–), a brash young quarterback out of the University of Alabama, led his New York Jets to a stunning upset victory over the Baltimore Colts in 1969's Super Bowl III. Though Namath threw more interceptions than touchdowns over the course of his 13-year pro career, he won legendary status by leading the Jets to their only championship and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
Three days before Super Bowl III, Namath told a group of reporters that he guaranteed that his AFL champion Jets—who were 18-point underdogs going into the game—would defeat the NFL's Colts. Three days later, Namath did in fact lead New York to a 16–7 victory, still considered by many to be the greatest Super Bowl upset of all time.
The Jets' shocking win helped to popularize the Super Bowl itself (the first two Super Bowls had been lopsided wins by the NFL Green Bay Packers over weak AFL opposition), and Namath's "Broadway Joe" persona brought a new level of swagger and intrigue to the pro game.