This horrifying, probably haunted Joe Namath doll should be the Jets mascot

Every few years the ghastly, grisly visage of a vintage 1970s Joe Namath doll graces Twitter to remind us of the true horrors of the past. Now, it’s time again to appreciate the most disturbing sports collectible of all time. Brace yourselves, and consider this your warning.

Interest in the doll was rekindled Tuesday night when the @NFL_Journal account rejuvenated the conversation about the Namath doll, which has absolutely killed in the past, and will kill again.

The Jets are one of five NFL teams with no official mascot. On some level, I kind of get this. It’s difficult to make a pure expression of a “jet” in mascot form, and using a pilot is just a cop out. However, nothing better personifies the New York Jets than Joe Namath. Not only was he the player who brought the most success to the franchise in history, but there was a brazen level of confidence by a man who, quite frankly, wasn’t necessarily a beautiful man — but who had the confidence to rock giant fur coats and swagger at a time nobody else was doing it.

Now, the horror of the 1970s Namath doll, complete with its disturbingly accurate arm hair, is not only an ode to the past, but an acknowledgment of the terror the Jets have become. It also doesn’t deify Namath, who became problematic before turning his life around. This means the Jets are perfectly prepared to embrace the team’s past glory, and the horrors of their recent years. The time is now, and in case you still need convincing I’ll leave you with an image.