Joseph William Namath (born May 31 1943, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania), also known as Broadway Joe, is a former American football quarterback for the University of Alabama under legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and his assistant, Howard Schnellenberger, from 1962–1964, and in the American Football League and National Football League during the 1960s and 1970s. Namath played for the New York Jets for most of his professional career, having finished his career with the Los Angeles Rams. He was later elected to the Hall of Fame. Namath retired after playing in 77 wins, 108 losses and 3 ties. In his career he threw 173 touchdowns and 220 interceptions. During his thirteen years in the AFL and NFL he played for three division champions (the 1968 and 1969 AFL East Champion Jets and the 1977 NFC West Champion Rams), earned one league championship (1968 AFL Championship), and one world championship (Super Bowl III).
In 1999, he was ranked number 96 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. He was the only player on the list to have spent a majority of his career with the Jets.
He is known for brashly telling the media that he guaranteed that his team would upset Don Shula's NFL Baltimore Colts in the third NFL-AFL Championship Game in 1969, and then delivering on his promise.
