Joe Namath responds to Jets' Aaron Rodgers not wearing No. 12

Hall of Famer Joe Namath has responded to the explanation that new New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers gave for not wearing Namath's No. 12 with Gang Green. 

"That was warm, that touched my heart a bit, that shows something about the man," Namath told Steve Serby of the New York Post. "He has a way about him, a lot of respect for the past. I was humbly grateful, you know what I mean? It felt good. It made me like him even more (laugh). First time I met him I liked him, and I’ll tell you what, I’ve not seen anybody play better than him over the last 10, 15 years I’ve been watching." 

Namath made it known as far back as January he'd temporarily gift his retired No. 12 to Rodgers if the 39-year-old made an offseason move from the Green Bay Packers to the Jets. However, former Jets quarterback and current "The NFL Today" analyst Boomer Esiason guaranteed last month that Rodgers would not wear No. 12 with New York, and the four-time NFL Most Valuable Player said during his introductory news conference on Wednesday he "didn't want to go down that path" with his new club because "12 is 'Broadway Joe.'"

Rodgers is instead switching from No. 12 to No. 8. 

Namath told Serby his willingness to give Rodgers No. 12 for even one season was all about trying to get the Jets their second Super Bowl championship in franchise history. 

"I honest to God feel like the fans have been loyal, and we deserve to bring them a championship," Namath explained. "But we’ve gotta earn it! It’s because of the fans and the way they’ve followed the team over the years. There were some down years, we had some decent years. The Jets’ fans still keep showing up, and they’re still pretty darn loyal, so I would like to see it for New York Jet fans throughout the country, not just in Jersey and not just in New York."

Like Namath, Rodgers can become a franchise legend by guiding the Jets to their first title since the one forever associated with the famous guarantee "Broadway Joe" made in January 1969.