Joe Namath Laments State Of Relationship With Jets
Added on Jan 26, 2012 by Jack Thurman in
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Joe Namath has kept a relatively low profile of late–particularly since an apparently inebriated ‘Broadway Joe’ asked comely ESPN sideline reporter Suzy Kolber for a kiss on live TV during an NFL game. One thing he’s not pulled any punches about, however, is his former team the New York Jets. Namath has been vocal in his criticism of the Jets and that’s resulted in a deterioration of the relationship between himself and the team he famously led to the only Super Bowl championship in franchise history. He says he feels awful about the collateral damage:
“I feel awful about it, I feel awful about my relationship with the Jets right now. I don’t want them upset with Joe, but damn it, I have to say what I see, what I think, what I feel. I think they can do some things better, no doubt.”
Namath has been supportive of much maligned quarterback Mark Sanchez:
“Mark made some mistakes this year, no doubt, but he can play. It’s only his third year, man. You see guys out there who have played longer than that, making those same mistakes. He’s going to learn from his mistakes and he needs the help around him.”
“He presses at times, he wants to do things because he’s expected to, and I think he got a little tired of being, ‘The kid this, the kid that.’ Hey, he’s made it through three seasons now, and he’s not a kid. He’s a man out there. He’s a man and, if they get the people around him, he’s going to be fine.”
Namath used Eli Manning of the crosstown rival New York Giants as a point of comparison:
“How about our man, Eli. Hey, excuse me, he wasn’t exactly welcomed with open arms and … standing ovations those first few years. He endured. He’s tough, he’s wonderful and he’s improved … Eli is better than he was three years ago, two years ago. Right now, Mark Sanchez is going to better than he was this past season.”
