The NFL has already seen its top overall pick forcibly defy and alter his fate in the league back in 2004. With Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence poised to be the No.1 overall pick in the coming 2021 NFL Draft, New York Jets legend Joe Namath wouldn't be surprised if he attempts to pull an Eli Manning in the future.
“Anything could happen in this world, damn near anything — except for the Jets maybe making the playoffs this year,” Namath said Friday in a phone interview with ESPN. “It's happened before, so why would it shock anybody?”
The San Diego Chargers had the first overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft and were planning to draft the younger Manning with its top selection. Meanwhile, the former Ole Miss standout and his father Archie Manning stated that he would refuse to play for the Chargers if he would be drafted by them.
Despite the resistance, the Chargers still selected Manning with the first pick overall as the team had agreed to a deal with the New York Giants. Big Blue would draft and then trade Philip Rivers and a 2004 third-round pick, used to select placekicker Nate Kaeding; a 2005 first-round pick, used to select linebacker Shawne Merriman; and a 2005 fifth-round pick (which was later traded away) to the Chargers for Manning.
He eventually signed a six-year, $45 million contract with the Giants where he would spend the entirety of his 16-year career. The struggling Jets remain to be the front-runners to land the top overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft thanks to their 0-8 record thus far. That No. 1 pick has a huge potential to be Trevor Lawrence, who's arguably the best quarterback in college today.
Regardless of his position in the draft proceedings, an exceptional talent like Trevor Lawrence should try to avoid a dysfunctional organization like the Jets at all costs if he wants to make the most out of his NFL career in years to come.
Joe Namath played for the Jets from 1965 to 1976 and won a Super Bowl during his tenure as the face of the franchise.
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