Joe Namath on Sam Darnold: 'Third Year, I Think He's Ready to Do Some Work'

Sam Darnold, for better or for worse, will always carry the expectation of being the New York Jets' modern-day answer for Joe Namath. As the only quarterback to take the Jets to the Super Bowl, let alone win a championship, Namath casts a giant shadow over the franchise.

It is a shadow that will forever loom over Darnold until he wins his own championship. And it is Namath who believes that Darnold, set to enter his third season in the NFL, is ready to take a step forward.

“I expect Sam to be – and he is – he’s got to be more mature, cooler, he’s going to be calmer. All the things that are necessary for him to perform well under fire and still maintain a quick trigger,” Namath told Sports Illustrated’s Jets Country.

“Third year – yeah man, I have to reflect on my career and my third year and how I felt about things. He’s right on the edge, he’s going to keep improving. Third year, I think he’s ready to do some work. And those guys up front and having Le’Veon Bell and [Frank] Gore at running back.”

Namath, a Pro Football of Fame quarterback and arguably the most iconic player in NFL history, remains busy. His autobiography, All the Way: My Life in Four Quarters, came out last year and he remains busy with the Joe Namath Foundation. The foundation has been very active in recent years supporting a number of children charities as well as pushing the boundaries for neurological research and studying head trauma.

There are legitimate grounds for optimism around the Jets that the young quarterback is ready to take a pivotal next step in 2020.

Darnold ended last season on a high note after well-documented struggles to start his second year in the NFL. In the final eight games of 2019, the Jets turned around their record, going 6-2 in the last eight games for an overall 7-9 record that led to a sense of momentum heading into the offseason. Darnold was the hero of this stretch, his 13 touchdowns and four interceptions a strong indicator of his progress in the new offense implemented by head coach Adam Gase.

In completing the second half of the season on a sustained high note, there was a sense from within the Jets organization that Darnold is ready to take a significant step forward in what will now be his third season in the NFL.

In training camp, Darnold earned rave reviews not just for physically showing up stronger and for having an improved touch on the ball but also for his command of the playbook. But the positive feelings for Darnold go beyond just the quarterback’s potential.

Namath said that a revamped offensive line – the Jets unit was considered among the worst in the league a season ago – could and should play a role in Darnold’s expected development this season. Four new starters, including first-round pick Mekhi Becton, should be an upgrade in improving Darnold’s protection – “That’s going to be huge.”

“I saw enough from Sam before that to have some confidence in him as a player and as a potential pro. I saw enough physically from him at USC to be impressed,” Namath said.

“But there’s more to it. He’s learning from his past experiences. I can only relate to what I learned over the years. My third year, my demeanor and his demeanor, he’s doing it now better than he did in the past. He’s seeing things more quickly, anticipating things. Before the ball’s in his hands, the pre-snap reads, he won’t get fooled as much and what the defense is trying to do.”

Darnold finished last season with 3,024 passing yards with 19 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He brings an 11-15 lifetime record into this Sunday’s season opener at the Buffalo Bills.

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