New York Jets

Joe Namath, New York Jets benefited from a backward pass recovery in 1968 AFL Championship

Published Jan. 24, 2016 4:32 p.m. ET

Barry Werner

The New England Patriots recovered a backwards pass on Sunday in the AFC Championship in Denver. After a challenge by Bill Belichick, the Pats were given the ball and subsequently scored a touchdown in the first quarter.

While the turnover may not determine who wins the contest, it was an uncommon play.

To find another backwards pass that played a memorable role in an AFL(C) Championship one has to go into the wayback machine to 1968.

Joe Namath and the New York Jets' upset of the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III is historic. However, Broadway Joe & Co. needed a recovery of a backwards pass in their championshp battle with the Oakland Raiders to secure their spot in the Super Bowl.

The game was played at Shea Stadium. The Jets led 27-23 after scoring midway through the fourth quarter in what was a rematch of the Infamous Heidi Game earlier that season.

But Daryle Lamonica -- aka the Mad Bomber -- moved the Raiders to the Jets' 12 when the big play happened.

From AFL anthology:

And the New York Daily News:

The Jets went on to beat the Raiders, Namath made his prediction and a 16-7 victory over the Colts at the Orange Bowl in 1969 was the game that went a long way toward having the NFL realize the AFL was legit and eventually led to a merger.