joe namath Archive

Joe Namath sounded off about the bright future of Mark Sanchez this week. He noted that the rookie QB had “spark and fire” and that Sanchez “had impressed me big-time.” Curtis Martin was also on hand and said that there’s “something I like about Sanchez.” Wayne Chrebet added onto the lovefest by highlighting the experience Sanchez gained at USC. Hopefully, these former Jets are the most accurate preseason NFL analysts in the history of the world.

Via Boston Herald:

NEW YORK — Had the Jets not passed up a chance to draft Dan Marino in 1983, they might not be 41 years removed from their moment of Super Bowl III glory with glamour quarterback Joe Namath. But they did ignore Marino, and so there was the 66-year-old Namath at a news conference Tuesday offering his thoughts about rookie Mark Sanchez and whether he might prove a worthy successor to Broadway Joe’s legacy.

Namath praised Sanchez for his “spark and fire” and cited the opening touchdown drive he led in the final exhibition against the Eagles as evidence.

“That first series last week showed me some stuff I hadn’t seen,” Namath said. “It looked like he can do everything as far as movement and finding the receivers. He looked at the chains to see where he had to go a couple of times, he moved his feet well. He impressed me big-time with that series.”

Sharing the stage with Namath for the announcement of jetBlue as the team’s official airline were former Jets Curtis Martin, Marty Lyons and Wayne Chrebet. They were there to promote the team, but their optimism regarding Sanchez seemed genuine. What struck Lyons and Martin is the rookie’s commanding carriage.

“I’ve always been skeptical of rookies,” said Martin, the Jets’ all-time rushing leader. “But there is something I like about Sanchez. I had a chance to meet him, shake his hand, look him in the eye. He seems like an assertive, mature guy for his age. He has to have that thing that makes people want to follow him, and I believe he has it …

“Most people don’t realize it, but that’s more important a lot of times than ability.”

Lyons said playing for former Jets coach Pete Carroll in an NFL-style offense at USC helped prepare Sanchez for the pressure he faces. Chrebet suggested Sanchez is better equipped to handle the growing pains Giants quarterback Eli Manning endured before maturing into a Super Bowl winner.

“He played for a great school in a big market, so I think he’ll adjust fine,” the former wide receiver said. “Sanchez is a little ahead of the curve compared to what Eli did. I don’t think he dealt with (pressure) at Ole Miss compared to what (Sanchez) dealt with at Southern Cal. Look at the expectations there, carrying the torch from the previous quarterbacks there. It seems like he’s the perfect fit.”

Sanchez’s Jets teammates busted his chops about the Namath-style GQ magazine photo spread he did, and he handled the ribbing well. But the real test begins with Sunday’s season opener in Houston.

As Chrebet said: “They have to see what happens that first bad play or that first bad game, how he reacts to his teammates or the media. I don’t think he’ll have a problem with it.”