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Three days before the 1969 Super Bowl, Jet quarterback, Joe Namath guaranteed a victory for Thursday’s championship game. Such an announcement was almost without precedent in American sports. Namath represented a team that was almost guaranteed to be the underdog against the almighty Baltimore Colts, who had lost only once, to Cleveland, 30-20, in the 1968 regular season. In contrast, the New York Jets had lost to Buffalo, Denver and Oakland in the regular season before defeating Oakland, 27-23, for the AFL championship.
Namath was notorious for “talking the talk” to New York reporters, making himself newspaper space. Namath represented a new breed of athletes, the kind that would do anything or say anything to get their names in the papers.
On Monday, January 6, Namath had already made news prior to the game. He and Jets running backs, Emerson Boozer and Matt Snell, failed to put in an appearance on picture day.
A patron of saloons and nightclubs, Namath would party “till the cows came home.”
Despite Namath’s media blitz, Jets coach, Wilbur (Weeb) Ewbank knew he had a good quarterback. Namath was considered one of the best quarterbacks in the AFL league.
Ewbank gave no attention to the media prior to the big game. As a 61-year-old coach, championship games were nothing new. He had guided the Colts to NFL championships in 1958 and ’59. The Colts released him in 1962 after finishing with a .500 record.
It was January 12, game day, and Miami Beach Police Department was checking for a bomb that had supposedly been placed inside the stadium.
Finding none, the many 75,377 fans were permitted through the gates for the 3:05 p.m. (EST) kickoff.
Anybody who was anyone was there. Politicians such as Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew, newly elected President and Vice-President; Senator Edward Kennedy and his father, Joseph P. Kennedy; comedians Bob Hope and Jackie Gleason, and astronauts Frank Borman, Bill Anders and Jim Lovell sat in the stadium.
As referee Tommy Bell signaled the captains to the middle of the field for the coin toss, SuperBowl III began.
The Jets sent in cornerback Johnny Sample to replace Namath for the coin toss. Namath had suffered knee problems several days earlier and was still warming up on the sidelines. Calling the coin toss, the Jets would receive first.
The Jets took the game to the Colts. On his third carry in the first series, Matt Snell ran into Rick Volk, sending the safetyman to the sideline.
Four minutes after gaining possession of the football, the Jets were forced to punt and the Colts took over.
A screen pass to tight end John Mackey gained 19 yards. Jerry Hill and Tom Matte of the Colts picked up 10 yards for a third first down. A 15-yard pass to tight end Tom Mitchell gave Baltimore a first-and-10 at the New York 19.
The Colts then tried for a field goal from the 27-yard line, but heavy winds blew kicker Lou Michaels’ kick out of the end zone and to the right of the field goal.
Late into the first quarter, the Jets moved to a first down on their 17, where split end George Sauer Jr. fumbled and the Colts recovered on the 12.
Only two plays had consumed six yards on a third-and-four. In the end zone, cornerback Randy Beverly made a diving interception in the end zone. It was the Jets’ ball on the 20.
The Jets found themselves in enemy territory when Namath passed short to fullback Bill Mathis.
Passes to Sauer for 14 and 11 yards, a two-yard burst to Boozer and a 12-yard completion to Snell carried to the 9.
Snell gained five to the right side, and then to the left, Boozer took out safetyman Volk, then Snell made his way over linebacker Dennis Gaubatz. When Jim Turner converted, the Jets led, 7-0.
The Jets had not only survived the mistake of Sauer’s fumble, but they had taken the ball back on an 80-yard drive that took 12 plays. Only one touchdown behind, the Colts and Earl Morrall came back.
Once more the Colts stormed back with Matte running up 58 yards and reaching the Jets 16.
With only 43 seconds remaining in the first half, the Colts had moved to the Jets 42.
Only 25 seconds were left when Morrall took the snap and handed off to Matte.
Wide receiver Jimmy Orr became the target while standing at the 10-yard line with an effort to attract attention.
Morrall, instead threw in the direction of Jerry Hill on the 12-yard line, as if Orr was just another piece of the puzzle.
After halftime, Colts coach, Don Shula decided to give Morrall a second chance at hand.
When Matte fumbled on the first play from scrimmage in the next half, linebacker Ralph Baker recovered for the Jets on the Colts 33. Five plays later, Jim Turner kicked a 32-yard field goal, leading the Jets, 10-0.
Morrall had still not received an opportunity to use his talent, so Morrall was still at quarterback on the Colts’ next possession.
Chances for Morrall were very slim as passes came and were overthrown. The quarterback situation had gone weak; Namath’s right thumb had taken a turn for the worse. Substitute Babe Parilli took over and guided the team into Colts territory. Turner then kicked leading the Jets into a 13-0 lead.
Third period ended with the Colts having run only seven plays with a net gain of 10 yards.
Fourth quarter came and went. Two minutes into the last quarter, Turner kicked a nine-yard field goal. The Colts were now in a situation of needing two touchdowns; two conversions and a field goal upset the game.
With less than four minutes remaining, Jerry Hill scored on a one-yard dive and Michaels converted for the final score of 16-7.
On that afternoon, some felt they had witnessed a miracle. Led by an inspired quarterback, Namath had his proof. New York had won and Baltimore would walk away empty-handed.
After completing 17 of 28 passes for 208 yards, Namath was named the game’s Most Valuable Player and was presented the game ball.
The next day, when the Jets returned to New York, it was discovered that the 21-inch sterling silver championship trophy had been left behind.
No problem, the trophy was flown back to its new home.
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