The New York Jets took out a full page ad in the New York Post to congratulate New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning on an “extraordinary career” on Saturday, but that was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to kudos from Gang Green.
Jets legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Joe Namath, took things to the next level, heaping an almost unbelievable amount of praise on Manning.
“I was pretty good and did some things. Eli, I marveled at. He was remarkable,” Namath told the New York Post. “I wouldn’t compare myself to Eli. He’s done far more than I ever did on the field.”
Questioned about Manning’s Hall of Fame eligibility and whether or not he’d be given consideration if not for the two Super Bowl titles, Namath became a little extra vocal.
“If, if, if. It’s [expletive]. The games played. The durability. The playoffs. I remember early on he was getting some heat, he didn’t always smile much, but every player that’s ever played with Eli swears by his work ethic and his character,” Namath said.
Namath also took a moment to praise Eli’s father, Archie, saying he’d have ended up in the Hall of Fame as well if the New Orleans Saints ever surrounded him with a competent team.
“[If he] ever had a team, he would have been the first Manning in the Hall of Fame. He never had a team,” Namath said.
What more can even be said? Broadway Joe has spoken.
