Joe Namath is the only championship quarterback in the New York Jets’ 63-season history. It’s not a club he ever wanted to keep so exclusive, so when new Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers said at his introductory press conference that New York’s Super Bowl III trophy was “looking a little lonely,” Namath knew what he was talking about.

Not only do the Jets have only one Super Bowl appearance, they haven’t participated in the NFL playoffs since 2010, the longest postseason drought in the league.

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For the franchise’s most famous player and fan, New York’s trade for Rodgers has injected a level of optimism and excitement the Jets haven’t had maybe since he was under center.

“He lifted the team before he even got in the clubhouse, I would think,” Namath said during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “If I’m a player on that team, man, and I know my quarterback that’s coming, Aaron Rodgers – excuse me — you’re going to be sky-high.”

While playing with the Jets from 1965 through 1976, Namath was the AFL Rookie of the Year in 1965 and the AFL Player of the Year in 1968 and 1969. The former Alabama standout was selected for five AFL All-Star games and NFL Pro Bowls as New York’s quarterback. All the other Jets quarterbacks combined have had five such selections.

Rodgers is a four-time NFL MVP and a 10-time Pro Bowler.

In 1967, Namath became the first player in a U.S. pro league to pass for 4,000 yards in a season, and the Pro Football Hall of Famer remains the only quarterback in franchise history to do so.

Rodgers has had 10 4,000-yard passing seasons.

“I’ve never seen anyone play better football,” Namath said. “I know Tom (Brady)’s got some championships under his belt, and that’s special. But I’ve never seen anybody move around as well or better than Aaron Rodgers does – throw on the run, never looks like he’s in doubt.”

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Namath spurned the NFL coming out of Alabama in 1965. After being drafted at No. 12 by the St. Louis Cardinals, Namath signed the most lucrative contract in pro football history at that time with the AFL’s Jets.

Four seasons later, Namath famously guaranteed that New York, as the AFL champion, would upend the NFL champion Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, even though the NFL’s Packers had won the first two Super Bowls handily over the AFL’s best team.

But the Jets stunned the Colts 16-7 on Jan. 12, 1969, in Miami, with Namath winning the game’s Most Valuable Player Award.

Rodgers also has played in one Super Bowl, and he was the MVP of Green Bay’s 31-25 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV on Feb. 6, 2011.

Namath thinks the Jets have the parts to give Rodgers and New York a chance to return to the NFL championship game.

“The defense played well last season,” Namath said. “Kind of a playoff-caliber defense. The offensive line is where it starts with us now that we have Aaron there. They got to stay healthy. Lady luck, you know? We got to keep guys healthy because the running game, which can be really good with our backs, we need the offensive linemen to do it. …

“The division is a tough division. I don’t know any weak divisions. But New England and Miami and Buffalo, just to get into the playoffs, we’ve got to play well. But with Aaron, we kind of feel like we know we can do it. The team should feel that way. They’re improving. The draft choices that they brought in, (Jets general manager) Joe Douglas in just a couple of few short years has put together some good players. But competition is keen, and Lady Luck plays a role.”

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.