What is Joe Namath’s Net Worth and Career Earnings?
The net worth of former American football quarterback Joe Namath is $25 million. Joe Namath, popularly known as “Broadway Joe,” was a quarterback who began his career with the New York Jets and ended it with the Los Angeles Rams. Joe is regarded as a pop culture figure off the field. He went on to become a well-known actor, spokesperson, and talk show host. Later, he was chosen as the “greatest character” in the NFL. In 1985, he was admitted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Early Life
On May 31, 1943, Joseph William Namath was born in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. Joe is a working-class man who was raised in a Catholic home with five siblings. Namath moved in with his mother following the divorce of his parents. Playing on the football, basketball, and baseball teams in high school, Joe’s gifts as a “natural athlete” quickly became apparent.
Upon completing his high school education in 1961, he was approached by several Major League Baseball organizations to join their ranks. However, Namath’s mother wanted him to go college, so he decided to play football instead. Later on, he played for the Crimson Tide at the University of Alabama, where he attended. Namath led the Crimson Tide as its quarterback from 1962 to 1964. He guided the group to a national title in 1964.
NFL Career
NFL Career Because of cartilage injury to his knee sustained during the Vietnam War, Namath was not eligible to be drafted; instead, the New York Jets (who were AFL players at the time) signed him. He was dubbed “Broadway Joe” in 1965 after his picture appeared on the cover of “Sports Illustrated.” Namath won AFL Rookie of the Year in his rookie campaign. He nevertheless kept having problems with knee injuries.
Joe Namath played the game of his life in Super Bowl III, defeating the Baltimore Colts after personally guaranteeing the win days earlier, just before the NFL and the AFL combined to become one. After throwing eight passes for 133 yards to just one man, George Sauer, he emerged as the game’s MVP.
Over the ensuing time, Namath suffered from injuries and missed his first games as a player. Nevertheless, Joe kept dazzleing fans by tossing for 496 yards in a triumph over the Colts. This is regarded by many experts as the best instance of passing in a single game. He joined the Los Angeles Rams near the end of his playing career. He was unable to have a memorable season due to a number of ailments, therefore he retired at the end of the 1977 campaign.
Broadway Joe completed 50.1% of his passes for 3,762 yards during his career, with 173 touchdowns and 220 interceptions.
Salary Highlights
Both the NFL’s St. Louis Cardinals and the AFL’s New York Jets selected Joe in the draft. He was selected #1 by the Jets and #22 by the Cardinals. Joe gave careful thought to both draft offers. He informed the Cardinals that he was hoping to receive a $200,000 salary along with a brand-new Lincoln Continental. His demands shocked the Cardinals, but they finally gave in on the stipulation that he make a written commitment to them before to the Orange Bowl. Joe was hesitant to sign a professional contract because it would have prevented him from participating in the Bowl game. After participating in the Orange Bowl, he signed a contract with the Jets the following day. The Jets offered him a rookie contract of $427,000 spread over three years, or $142,000 annually. That’s equivalent to agreeing to a deal worth $3.5 million now, or around $1.16 million annually.
He inked another deal that broke records in 1975. This one was a $900,000, two-year contract with the Jets. That equates to $2.15 million annually, or $4.3 million in today’s dollars.
Acting Career
In 1969, Joe Namath started hosting “The Joe Namath Show,” but he soon moved into roles that were more appropriate for his acting style. He started making appearances in theater plays before going on to play parts in motion pictures such as “C.C. and Company.” Before landing parts on shows like “The Love Boat,” “Married… With Children,” “Here’s Lucy,” “The Brady Bunch,” “The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour,” “The Flip Wilson Show,” “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In,” and many more, he also starred in the television series “The Waverly Wonders.” Joe also rose to prominence as a voice actor, landing parts in animated shows including “The Simpsons.”
Relationships
Joe spent a long time single. However, it was during a voice acting lesson that Namath met Deborah Mays, an aspiring actress, in 1983. Despite the fact that he was 19 years her senior, the two got married in 1984 and went on to have Jessica and Olivia as their daughters. After the marriage, Joe turned into a devoted family man, but the two eventually got divorced in 2000.
Alcoholism
Joe battled alcoholism for a large portion of his life. He continued to drink excessively, and things reached a breaking point in the years right after his marriage to Mays. After that, Mays threatened to dissolve their marriage if Joe continued to drink, but Joe was able to kick his addiction. But Joe relapsed following the divorce in 2000.
Namath used to drink a lot before appearing on the EPSN broadcast in 2003. Instead of celebrating the Jets All-Time team, Joe’s drunkenness dominated the headlines on this day. He answered one of Suzy Kolber’s questions properly, but he told the reporter he really wanted to kiss her. After acknowledging that he had disgraced himself, Joe made the decision to seek alcoholism therapy.
Bachelors III
Joe Namath founded Bachelors III, a nightclub, in 1969 on New York City’s Upper East Side. The club attracted a lot of celebrities and became very profitable. Nevertheless, organized criminal figures also started frequenting the club. Despite NGL Commissioner Pete Rozelle’s prodding, Namath refused to sell his stake in the establishment, which landed him in hot water. Subsequent to the incident, he declared he was going to retire; however, he later had second thoughts, sold his interest, and resumed his profession.
Brand Endorsements
Throughout his career, Joe Namath was well-known for endorsing numerous businesses; he appeared in advertisements for Ovaltine, Noxzema, and Hanes, among others.
When Joe started making $1 million a year from different brand deals in 1975, he was paid more than any other celebrity endorsement. At the time, he was also making $450,000 annually in pay, which meant that his salary and endorsements added up to an annual compensation of $7 million, adjusted for inflation.
Real Estate
Joe Namath paid approximately $1 million for a property on New York City’s Upper West Side in 2016. The fact that his daughter and her spouse were listed as customers suggests that the purchase was a gift for them. This lovely two-bedroom duplex on the first floor is a great family house with lots of storage. According to reports in 2019, Namath was listing this property for $1.195 million.
