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The 5 greatest NFL storylines going into a Super Bowl ever

By Erik Lambert

NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 03: Head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens (L) and head coach Jim Harbaugh of the San Francisco 49ers speak during warm ups prior to Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 03: Head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens (L) and head coach Jim Harbaugh of the San Francisco 49ers speak during warm ups prior to Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 25: Emerson Boozer and Joe Namath attend the premiere of ‘Namath’ at the HBO Theater on January 25, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 25: Emerson Boozer and Joe Namath attend the premiere of ‘Namath’ at the HBO Theater on January 25, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images) /

01: The Guarantee

There was already plenty of solid story going into Super Bowl III. The AFL had lost twice to the NFL in the two previous Super Bowls and this marked the third chance they’d have to finally prove their league was on equal footing. Then New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath made it must-see TV, and all by accident. It occurred during a routine press conference leading up to the game.

Namath was answering questions when all of a sudden a Colts fan yelled from the back that his team was going to kick their butts on Sunday. The Jets leader, who’d been hearing that stuff all week long, finally grew fed up and fired back a simple phrase. One that seemed innocent at the time but grew to be one of the most seismic in football history.

“We’re gonna win the game, I guarantee you.”

People couldn’t believe Namath had the guts to say that, especially considering his team was 17-point underdogs to the Baltimore Colts who’d only lost one game in 1968. New York didn’t stand a chance. Then the game happened. Namath played smart, efficient football and his defense was superb on the way to a 16-7 shocker.

That victory cemented the AFL’s place in professional football and eventually led to the two leagues merging just two years later. Namath’s guarantee is still talked about 50 years later.

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