Joe Namath Criticizes Rex Ryan and Jets

Former New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath sounded off in an interview with Newsday December 22nd about current Jets coach Rex Ryan’s coaching style and it wasn’t complimentary.  There are plenty of critics of the Jets, but Namath is in perhaps the best position of all of them to be heard.

Broadway Joe led the Jets to Super Bowl III, guaranteed the Jets would defeat the heavily favored Baltimore Colts, and then actually followed through and won in what many consider the biggest upset in Super Bowl history.  The Jets have not been back to the Super Bowl since then, and we’re approaching Super Bowl XLVI.  If they don’t make it this year, it will have been XLIII years since they made it.

Namath thinks Ryan tries to be a friend to every player when he needs to be a coach.  Namath cited current New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin and former coach Bill Parcells — who both coached Super Bowl winners — as examples of good coaches who did not try to be best friends with all the players.  Namath also criticized how Ryan defended wide receiver Santonio Holmes’ 15 yard taunting penalty in a 45-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.  “How can you dare do that? … you’re doing that, getting a 15 yard penalty when you’re getting your a$$ kicked by 20 something points … I can’t see a guy beating his chest when he’s getting his a$$ kicked. But that’s the way they run their ship. That’s coach Ryan’s style and belief.”

The Jets and Giants meet on Christmas Eve.  The Jets are fighting for a Wild Card playoff berth, so we’ll see if these comments from the franchise’s iconic figure fire up the team.