Jets Legend Namath On Tom Brady: 'No One's Ever Been Better'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Jets fans, turn away. The rest of you can keep reading.
Gang Green legend Joe Namath has cast his vote for the greatest quarterback of all time. It's not Otto Graham, Joe Montana, Peyton Manning or himself.
Hint: this guy just won a fourth Super Bowl ring.
"No one's ever been better. No one's ever been better than Tom Brady, I don't believe," Namath told Sports Illustrated's The MMQB.
Namath said Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers also deserves to be in the debate, which he acknowledged is highly subjective. But he gave it to the New England star who has been tormenting the Jets and their fans for nearly 15 years.
"To each his own. I have a hard time calling anybody in any sport 'the best' because of the changes in the game, certainly, and because of the greats that were ahead of them. But I will say, no one has ever played the game better than Tom Brady," Namath said.
Brady passed Montana to set a record with 13 career Super Bowl touchdowns in New England's win over Seattle on Feb. 1. He won his third Super Bowl MVP award, tying Montana's mark, and also matched the four career titles won by Montana and Terry Bradshaw.
"You start looking at numbers, and sometimes statistics tell a story, and sometimes they don't tell the whole story. It's such a team game. But Tom has answered the bell. He has answered every challenge," Namath told The MMQB. "He's great. He's great. No one has ever done it better."
Namath, who famously guaranteed New York would win what would end up being the franchise's only title, also said he feels "good" about his current relationship with the Jets. His critiques of the team have rankled owner Woody Johnson over the years.
"I feel bad," Namath said. "I don't like making anyone feel awkward, but whenever you are asked questions, you want to give an honest answer, an honest opinion, instead of walking softly and being concerned."
