Joe Namath - Most Overrated Quarterback Ever

Here we are, the week leading up to the Super Bowl. There has been no trash talking yet, thanks goodness, I believe the Bears and Colts are a lot classier than last year's participants. Did anybody else want to put a muzzle around Steelers linebacker Joey Porter and Seahawks tight end Jerramy Stevens last year? Boy, Jerramy Stevens sure backed up what he said dropping that wide open touchdown in the game, solidifying him as a "all talk and no walk" football player. As I sat down to read the newspaper I came across an article in the Deseret News about Peyton Manning in comparison to one of the alleged great quarterbacks, Joe Namath. The statistics in this article were astounding. Although Peyton Manning has not actually competed in a Super Bowl yet, he is still one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time, if not, the best. Although playing in the Super Bowl is a crowning achievement, how come it is always the quarterback that gets downplayed if they never play in one? Barry Sanders never played in a Super Bowl and he has NEVER been labeled as a great running back that never played in the Super Bowl. However; with quarterbacks, it just seems to be a little different. When you hear the name "Dan Marino," you probably think, "oh yeah, one of the best quarterbacks to never play in a Super Bowl." What about Trent Dilfer? He's an extremely mediocre quarterback that won a Super Bowl, but will he go to the Hall of Fame? I doubt it, but after looking Joe Namath's career numbers, anything is possible. Besides Joe's victory in Super Bowl III, he did very little in his career. Just read these numbers; Joe Namath threw 173 touchdown passes in his 13 seasons. In that time, he also threw 220 interceptions and only completed 50% of his passes. Namath's record as a starting quarterback was 77-108-3. Peyton Manning on the other hand is 94-53 and has passed for more yards, more completions, and more touchdowns his first nine years than any quarterback in football history. If Joe Namath can be crowned a Hall of Famer in one game, then not winning Super Bowl XLI should take NOTHING away from Peyton Manning. (Although it will be great to see him hoist that Vince Lombardi trophy. Think of the good commercials that will come from it...)