While his stats don’t stand the test of time, Joe Namath may have been the most impactful player to have ever played the position of quarterback. Though a native of Pennsylvania, Namath first came on the scene as the best quarterback to have ever played for Paul “Bear” Bryant at Alabama.
He helped the Crimson Tide win the 1964 National Championship before taking his talents to the AFL. That’s where Namath became the first rock star quarterback in professional football. He was football’s first true gunslinger under center, never afraid to throw the deep ball.
Namath forever etched his name into football lore by guaranteeing that the AFL Champion Jets would beat the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. He played the game of his life and toppled the juggernaut Colts, helping to pave the way for the AFL/NFL merger.
Namath was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985 after 13 years with the Jets and the Los Angeles Rams. He made it really cool to play quarterback. The vertical passing game wouldn’t look like what it does today with a renegade under center in Namath calling the deep shots.