Joe Namath was drafted in the first round by both leagues, the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals and the AFL's New York Jets. He signed with the Jets in January 1965, the day after the Orange Bowl, for a reported $427,000, a record at the time, and was the AFL's Rookie of the Year.
In 1966 Topps did not have the NFL. Its set was American Football League only, 132 cards, the third of four AFL sets it made in the middle of the decade. Namath's second-year card is #96.
The whole set is designed as a color television in a wooden cabinet. The card is horizontal, with the photograph in a rounded picture-tube screen and a wood-grain frame around it. Namath is in the white Jets jersey, number 12, the ball held in both hands, ready to throw, with JOE NAMATH in yellow below and QUARTERBACK, NEW YORK JETS beside it.
The 1966 set was made to look like a color television, cabinet and all.
The two leagues were still bidding against each other for players, and Namath's contract had been the most famous bid of all.
The brown borders show wear at the edges and corners, and chip easily. The television frame also makes centering hard to judge at a glance.
