Namath’s Knees Surgically Replaced

Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath had both knees replaced by surgical procedure Wednesday.

Namath, 48, who has arthritis, underwent bilateral knee replacement surgery at The Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

The operation was necessitated by advanced arthritis compounded by pro football injuries. The surgery took four hours.

Namath led the New York Jets to the 1968 NFL championship, capped by an upset of the Baltimore Colts in the Super Bowl. He was suffering deterioration of the knee joints and loss of stability.

He said the pain “was tolerable with medication.” But after Namath had to start favoring his right knee--his original bad knee--because of problems with the left knee, he was forced to seek surgery.