Everyone in the Big Apple seems ready to hand the keys of the New York Jets franchise to rookie quarterback Sam Darnold, but there is at least one guy who isn't quite ready to do that, Joe Namath.

Namath is encouraged by what Darnold is ready to bring to the Jets, but he isn't quite ready to call him the Week 1 starter just yet.

“The players, the coaches have to be convinced he gives them the best chance to win,” Namath said at the United Way of New York City gala. “Twenty years old and not having seen the animals — the nature of the defenses he's going to be confronted with — it's going to take time.”

“Josh [McCown] knows what he's doing and Teddy Bridgewater was playing well — well — really before he got hurt. So between the three of them, you have to figure the [older] guys are ahead. But the future, no doubt, is lying with Darnold if he improves.”

There is no question that Darnold is going to have a chance to start Week 1, but with Josh McCown ahead of him, he is going to really have to impress the coaching staff in Jets' training camp.

The Hall of Famer also talked about how important it is for Darnold to be able to handle the New York media because they can be relentless at times.

“I don't know that anyone can completely handle New York,” said Namath, who believes Darnold will be just fine with proper mentoring. “It's a one-of-a-kind city with a one-of-a-kind population.”