Super Bowl III - "The Guarantee"
The Baltimore Colts, champions of the NFL in 1968, were heavily favored against the AFL champion New York Jets in Super Bowl III. Super Bowls I and II had been blowouts in favor of the NFL’s Packers, but none of that prevented Joe Namath, the Jets’ cocky 25-year-old quarterback, from guaranteeing victory over the Colts. And soon after the game kicked off at Miami’s Orange Bowl on January 12, 1969, it was clear that Namath wasn’t all talk. Outplaying his counterpart, Johnny Unitas, Namath went 17 for 28 for 206 yards – 133 of them to George Sauer – setting up a rushing touchdown by Matt Snell and three Jim Turner field goals. Meanwhile, New York’s defense dominated, holding Baltimore to a lone fourth quarter touchdown as the Jets won in a historic upset, 16-7. Namath, who was named MVP, later said that the Jets’ performance “sent a message to all the underdogs out there. If you want something bad enough and you aren’t afraid to lay it on the line, you can do it.”