Joe Namath admits that Tom Brady is the G.O.A.T.

Legendary New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath recently admitted that the New England Patriots’ Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback of all time.

It’s not everyday in the NFL that you hear one franchise icon singing the praises of another franchise icon – from a rival team. And yet, that’s exactly what happened on Monday when New York Jets Hall of Famer Joe Namath was a guest on Howard Stern’s radio talk show.

Stern asked Namath how 41-year-old (soon-to-be 42-year-old) Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has managed to maintain such a high level of play for so long. Brady is entering his 20th season in the NFL – all with New England – and has repeatedly expressed his desire to play at least until his mid-40s if his body cooperates.

“First of all, Lady Luck plays a role,” Namath acknowledged. He then proceeded to go into a brief anatomy lesson about how a knee is supposed to bend properly, cautioning that if stress or impact occurs that makes it (or any other bone or muscle) bend a way it’s not supposed to, that’s how ligaments tear and players miss time due to injury.

“Tom is the best,” Namath said as he stared straight into the camera, switching gears for a moment to discuss his own personal heroes growing up – Johnny Unitas, Otto Graham, Sammy Baugh. “But (in the) meantime, Tom has been challenged more… in recent history, certainly… with huge games than anyone I could recollect, and he’s stepped up every time.”

Namath continued by sharing his belief that at any level of football – high school, college, amateur, professional – you can routinely see quarterbacks losing games for their teams by throwing poorly or throwing interceptions. At least in Namath’s memory, Brady has never lost his team a game.

Stern then pressed the great Jets signal-caller a little further, asking him directly if he’s the greatest that ever was.

“I would have to say the he’s the best at answering the challenge there ever was, yes,” Namath responded. “I’ve not seen anybody have that many big games and answer the challenge as well as he has.”

Although it might upset the stomachs of Gang Green disciples to hear their leader heaping praise on a detested division rival, it takes a classy and educated individual to look past the dividing lines that separate NFL franchises and acknowledge true greatness when it’s plain to see.

So our hat’s off to Broadway Joe Namath for calling them how he sees it… especially when it comes to New England’s favorite son, Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr.