🏈 Joe Namath, January 12th 1969 "The Guarantee" with Jason Watkins and Vincent Turner
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On January 12, 1969, the New York Jets of the American Football League defeated the NFL’s Baltimore Colts, 16-7, in Super Bowl III—a result considered one of the biggest upsets in sports history. Days earlier, Jets quarterback Joe Namath guaranteed a victory by New York, an 18-point underdog.
Namath’s guarantee was a bold statement that he made during a press conference on January 9, 1969, three days before the Super Bowl. Namath was confident in his team’s ability to win, despite the fact that the Colts were heavily favored to win the game. Namath’s guarantee was seen as a brash and arrogant move by many, but it also helped to galvanize his team and give them the confidence they needed to pull off the upset.
Here are some little-known facts about Super Bowl III:
- The game included several coaching legends. The Colts were led by Don Shula, the winningest coach in NFL history, while the Jets were coached by Weeb Ewbank, who had previously led the Colts to two NFL championships.
- The game featured two 100-yard rushers. New York’s Matt Snell and Baltimore’s Tom Matte both rushed for over 100 yards.
- A marching band may have contributed to a key turnover. The Colts were driving for a potential game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter when a marching band began playing, causing confusion among the Baltimore players. Jets linebacker Jim Hudson then intercepted a pass to seal the victory.
- Namath did not throw a pass in the fourth quarter. Despite his guarantee, Namath did not throw a pass in the fourth quarter of the game.
- Johnny Unitas entered the game as a backup. Unitas, one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, was benched in favor of Earl Morrall for the game. Unitas did enter the game in the second half, but was unable to lead the Colts to a comeback.