Hall of Fame wide receiver brought out the best in Namath

Don Maynard, a Hall of Fame receiver who made his biggest impact catching passes from Beaver Falls native Joe Namath in the wide-open AFL, died Jan. 10. He was 86.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame confirmed Mr. Maynard’s death through his family.

Mr. Maynard was the main target for Mr. Namath with the New York Jets, though a leg injury made him less effective in the team’s stunning upset of the NFL champion Baltimore Colts in the 1969 Super Bowl. That game established the credibility of the newer league, but Mr. Maynard had proven himself long before that.

After an unproductive oneyear stint with the New York Giants in 1958, the slim, deceptively fast Texan headed to Hamilton of the CFL for 1959. Then the AFL was established, and he was the first player to sign with the New York Titans, who soon would become the Jets. When Mr. Namath showed up in 1965 with a record contract and huge headlines, one of the league’s top passing combinations was born.

Mr. Namath’s best skill was throwing the deep ball, matching Mr. Maynard’s main talent. As Broadway Joe’s primary target, Mr. Maynard had three seasons with at least 1,200 yards receiving in a four-year span. He caught 14 touchdown passes in Mr. Namath’s rookie season, and twice more had 10 TDs in a season.

When he retired in 1973 after one season with the St. Louis Cardinals, he was pro football’s career receiving leader with 633 catches for 11,834 yards and 88 touchdowns. In 1987, he was elected to the Hall of Fame.

Mr. Maynard sometimes humbly assessed his career, and other times pointed out how much his achievements meant to him.

“I don’t really look at it like I’m the greatest receiver,” he once said. “After you play a while anybody can break certain records. Longevity is the key. The record I’m proudest of is being the first guy to get 10,000 yards in receptions. Others may do it but I’m the first, and only one guy can be the first.”