Joe Namath on His Relationship with the Jets: I Feel Awful About it

Some would say Joe Namath has a “strained” relationship with the current Jets organization. We would say the relationship doesn’t exist. The greatest quarterback in Jets history has tried to ruffle the feathers of the current team and administration, but his attempts have largely been unsuccessful.  It is unclear whether Namath feels his legacy would be threatened if the Jets build a contender, or if he simply disagrees with virtually everything the team has done since Rex Ryan took over.  On Wednesday, Namath expressed a desire to bury the hatchet for the first time.

“I feel awful about it. I feel awful about my relationship with the Jets right now in the sense — I’m talking about the ownership, general manager and head coach,” Namath told the Star-Ledger when discussing his upcoming HBO documentary. “I don’t want them upset with Joe, but damn it, I have to say what I see, what I think, what I feel.

“With the current Jets situation the last few years, I just tried to explain how I felt about things, and when we talk about our head coach, the Jets head coach, he’s unique. I’ve never seen that style in all the years I’ve been around football.”

In case you missed it, Joe just went third-person. Surprised? I didn’t think so.  Namath also compared Mark Sanchez to Eli Manning when he was in the early years of his career, saying Sanchez can learn from his mistakes but he needs help around him.

Not that he ever seems to care, but it sounds like Namath finally realizes how much of a blowhard he sounds like with his constant criticism of the Jets.  Even Ryan — who may possibly have the biggest mouth in football — has taken the high road any time Namath offers his opinion. If you can’t get a rise out of Rex, perhaps it’s time to reevaluate some of the things you are saying.

H/T Game On!