Joe Namath was a quarterback who played in the AFL and the NFL for 13 years. He is one of football’s most iconic figures due to his popularity as well off the field.
In this article, we’ll take a look at Joe Namath’s net worth in 2021.
| Net Worth | $25 million |
| Age | 78 |
| Salary | Retired |
| Sponsors | Ovaltine, Noxzema, and Hanes |
| Sports | American Football |
Joe Namath’s Net Worth in 2021 (estimate): $25 million
Namath’s net worth in 2021 is $25 million. This is quite impressive as he started his career before the AFL-NFL merger. This information comes via numerous reputable outlets, including Celebrity Net Worth.
Namath was an excellent athlete during his high school years at Beaver Falls High School in Pennsylvania. He played quarterback at football, guard in basketball, and outfielder in baseball. He regularly dunked the ball in games when it was uncommon for players to dunk in high school hoops.
He also led the school to a 9-0 record in 1960 en route to a WPIAL Class AA championship in football.
Namath received a lot of Division I offers, and he initially decided on joining the University of Maryland. However, the school rejected him due to his college-board scores. He eventually joined the University of Alabama on a full scholarship.
He played quarterback for the Crimson Tide for three seasons where he led the team to a 29-4 record and a national championship in 1964. In his three-year career with Alabama, Namath completed 203 passes out of 374 attempts for 2,713 yards and 25 touchdowns.
After college, Namath became a first-round selection for both the AFL and the NFL. He was drafted first overall by the New York Jets of the AFL and 12th overall by the St. Louis Cardinals of the NFL.
When Namath met with the executives of the Cardinals, he demanded a salary of $200,000 along with a Lincoln Continental. Despite being shocked by the request, the Cardinals eventually accepted—on the condition that he would sign before the Orange Bowl, which would have made him ineligible to play the game.
The day after the Orange Bowl, Namath decided to sign with the New York Jets instead with a salary of $427,000 over three seasons, which was the highest rookie contract in pro football history at that time.
He had a rousing start with the Jets as he was named the 1965 AFL Rookie of the Year and an AFL All-Star. He continued to dominate in the next few years as he was named as an All-Star three more times from 1967 to 1969. He also led New York to an AFL championship in 1968 after defeating the Oakland Raiders.
In Super Bowl III, prior to the AFL-NFL merger, Namath steered the Jets over the Baltimore Colts and was named the Super Bowl MVP. He was also the first quarterback to start and win a collegiate national championship game, a major professional league championship, and the Super Bowl.
On top of that, the Jets’ win legitimized that the AFL is on par with its NFL counterparts, shutting down the criticisms that the AFL was inferior to the NFL.
Namath went on to play with the Jets for a total of 12 years before joining the Los Angeles Rams in the last year of his career. Unfortunately, piling injuries kept him from playing the majority of the season as he only played four games before being benched, and eventually retiring at the end of the 1977 season.
Joe Namath was an achiever on the football field. Here is a list of his accolades:
- 2x AFL Passing Yards Leader
- AFL Rookie of the Year
- 4x AFL All-Star
- 3x Second-team All-AFL
- 1x First-team All-AFL
- 2x AFL MVP
- 1968 NFL Champion
- 1972 NFL Passing Touchdowns and Passing Yards Leader
- 1x Pro Bowl
- 1974 NFL Comeback Player of the Year
- Super Bowl III Champions
- Super Bowl III MVP
- Member of AFL All-time Team
In his 13-year career, Namath passed for 27,663 yards with 173 touchdowns and a 50.1 percent completion rate. His no. 12 is retired by the Jets and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
Due to his stardom, fashion sense, and lighthearted personality throughout his career, he was the first sports figure to appeal equally to men, women, and children—which was evident through his various product endorsements.
Nicknamed “Broadway Joe” by Jets teammate Sherman Plunkett, Namath appeared in multiple TV advertisements for brands like Ovaltine, Noxzema shaving cream, and Hanes Beautymist pantyhose.
Aside from that, he also had his own show in 1969 called The Joe Namath Show. He also appeared in multiple TV shows and movies throughout the late 60s until the mid-2010s.
He suffered from alcoholism, but he eventually underwent treatment in 2003 after an incident during the Jets’ announcement of their All-Time Team.
It is certain that Joe Namath left his legacy both on and off the field as he is one of the most recognizable names and figures in football history.
Follow Us
Subscribe