Why Joe Namath's 1965 Rookie Card Remains a Hobby Grail

Joe Namath’s 1965 Topps "Tall Boy" rookie card might not be top of mind for sports card hobbyists in 2025 in any way, shape or form, let alone as arguably the most iconic football rookie card in history. Joe Namath's rookie card anchors the 1965 Topps "Tall Boy" football card set. Sixty years later, the first professional football card featuring "Broadway Joe" remains a hobby grail because of its rarity, condition sensitivity and the aura surrounding the Hall of Fame quarterback.

Namath was named AFL Rookie of the Year 60 years ago when his first professional football card was issued, which came three years before he famously guaranteed the New York Jets’ 16-7 triumph over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. Even though he became the first professional quarterback to throw for more than 4,000 yards in a season in 1967 (4,007 yards in 14 games) and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985, Namath’s name isn’t near the top of any major statistical passing category. He finished his career with more interceptions (220) than passing touchdowns (173).



Nevertheless, Namath’s rookie card (#122) takes a back seat to none in the football card hobby. Whether one considers the rarity, desirability or condition-sensitive nature of the 1965 set, the Namath rookie checks all of the boxes required of a historically significant collectible. RELATED: Chasing Joe Namath's PSA 9s in the 1968 Topps Stand-Up Set For four seasons, the Philadelphia Gum Company manufactured NFL cards (1964-1967), while Topps made cards for the AFL.

After sticking to the standard 2-1⁄2 inch-by 3-1⁄2 inch in 1964, Topps went to the "Tall Boy" format in 1965 , with the cards measuring 2-1⁄2 inches-by-4-11/16 inches. The larger surface allowed Topps to produce cards with larger photos and fonts with colors popping off the cardboard. The image of Namath posing with the football, cocked and ready to fire, against a yellow backdrop makes the card one of the most identifiable vintage football cards ever produced.

The size of "Tall Boy" cards makes them difficult to store and protect. Furthermore, Namath’s rookie card was one of four short prints in the set; according to PSA, the rookie cards of Namath, Hall of Fame wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff (#133) and Hall of Fame defensive back Willie Brown (#46) are among the short prints in the series. Those factors collide to make Namath’s card a condition-sensitive rookie card of a popular, Hall-of-Fame player with a low print run and a lower population of graded copies.

PSA has only graded 1,707 copies of the card, none of which have been graded a 10 by the company, with only five PSA 9 and 78 PSA 8 copies in existence. When compared to the total PSA population of the rookie cards of his contemporaries — Bart Starr (2,148) and Johnny Unitas (3,999) in the 1957 Topps set (#119 and #138, respectively); Terry Bradshaw’s (5,631) 1971 Topps (#156); and Roger Staubach’s (5,076) rookie in the 1972 set (#200) — Namath’s rookie is incredibly scarce. RELATED: Super Bowl ticket grails include autographed Namath Super Bowl III ticket Fran Tarkenton’s 1962 Topps rookie card (#90) is one of the notable quarterback rookie cards of the era with a lower population than Namath’s rookie.

PSA has only graded 1,675 copies of a card notorious for condition sensitivity and ripe for altering because of the set’s black borders. Still, the highest sale of a Tarkenton rookie verified by Card Ladder (a PSA 8.5 sold for $7,500 through Heritage Auctions on May 8, 2020) falls well short of a PSA 9 Namath going for $264,000 through Heritage Auctions on Feb.

23, 2018. Goldin Auctions sold a PSA 8.5 Namath for $207,400 on Oct.

1, 2023 , almost $200,000 more than the Tarkenton rookie in the same grade. In the current hobby landscape, Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball and Detroit Tigers prospect outfielder Max Clark have seen their massive social media followings follow them into the hobby. Long before Ball and Clark rose to prominence, it can be argued that “Broadway Joe” made his mark with more style than substance.

Namath entered the national spotlight as quarterback of Paul “Bear” Bryant’s 1964 national championship Alabama team. After the Jets won a bidding war with the then-St. Louis Cardinals of the NFL for the rights to sign Namath to a record contract , Namath became a charismatic pop culture icon who starred in movies and TV shows, pitched products like Ovaltine and famously donned pantyhose in a TV commercial.

According to Card Ladder , only seven players — Bradshaw, Starr, Tom Brady, Jim Brown, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes — have cards with verified sales surpassing Namath’s rookie. The field has combined for 16 Super Bowl wins and (except for Burrow and Herbert) are legends of the game with more skins on the wall than Namath. Bucking the trend, aura and lore have made the 81-year-old Namath’s rookie card a grail for hobby enthusiasts.

The man who once draped himself in a mink coat on the sideline — an act arguably more recognizable than anything on his highlight reel — might be the best example of how piling up on-field accolades doesn’t guarantee one a path to hobby immortality. MORE COLLECTIBLES UPDATES Three Bounce Back Prospects and Their Cards Three QB Prospects and their Cards Rising Up Draft Boards An Elusive Gem, Only Two 1974 Topps Terry Bradshaw PSA 10s Are Known To Exist.