The Houston Oilers sent the second pick in the 1965 AFL draft…
The Houston Oilers sent the second pick in the 1965 AFL draft to the New York Jets for the negotiating rights to quarterback Jerry Rhome. New York used that selection on Joe Namath, who became the franchise's defining quarterback and delivered the guarantee-backed upset in Super Bowl III. Rhome never supplied Houston with comparable value. Turning one set of negotiating rights into Namath makes this one of the clearest wins in early AFL history.
New York Jets Received
- pick first round pick (#2-Joe Namath)
Tennessee Titans Received
- other rights to Jerry Rhome
Trade Analysis
What Houston Traded Away
Houston controlled the second selection in the 1965 AFL draft after acquiring Denver's first-round choice in the Jacky Lee deal. On November 27, 1964, the Oilers moved that pick to the Jets for the negotiating rights to Jerry Rhome. New York immediately used the selection on Alabama quarterback Joe Namath. The transaction therefore transferred exactly the kind of rare asset that can reshape a young league: a top pick with access to a marquee quarterback.
Why Namath Changed the Equation
Namath became far more than a competent starter. He gave the Jets star power, credibility and one of the most important wins in professional football history. His 1968 team won the AFL championship, and Namath then backed up his famous guarantee by defeating the heavily favored Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. That result strengthened the AFL's legitimacy just before the merger and permanently tied Namath to Jets history.
What Houston Received
Rhome was a celebrated college passer, so the Oilers were not chasing an unknown player. Yet negotiating rights only matter if they produce comparable professional value, and Houston never got anything close to Namath's Jets career from the exchange. The opportunity cost is especially stark because the transferred choice became the exact player who helped transform New York into a championship franchise and an AFL cultural centerpiece.
Final Verdict
The Jets earn an A+ and one of the strongest wins in the project. Houston receives an F because the Oilers surrendered the pick that became Namath and did not realize a franchise-level quarterback return. Hindsight is unusually decisive here: the outgoing draft asset generated a Hall of Fame career, a championship, and enduring franchise identity, while the acquired rights produced no comparable payoff.