Joe Namath hopes to see Aaron Rodgers wear his No. 12 with the NY Jets

When the NY Jets traded for Green Bay Packers legendary quarterback Brett Favre in the summer of 2008, they did so in an attempt to solve their quarterback woes and help compete for a championship.

15 years later, could history repeat itself?

Favre's replacement, Aaron Rodgers, finds himself the subject of trade rumors this offseason, and the Jets are one of the teams that could be interested.

Such a trade would undoubtedly be one of the biggest moves in franchise history, but the Jets have already received the blessing of the greatest player to suit up for the green and white.

Joe Namath called into WFAN’s “Tiki & Tierney” on Thursday and told the hosts that he very much would support a trade for Rodgers. Not only that, but he'd be willing to unretire his famed No. 12 jersey so that Rodgers could wear it in New York.

That's the ultimate blessing and sign of respect. Namath wants the Jets to finally land a quarterback, and he's willing to forgo part of his legacy to make it happen.

"I hope it can come true but it’s farfetched: I know Mr. [Jets owner Woody] Johnson’s trying to get a quarterback. If there’s a way he can get Rodgers … I’m a big Rodgers fan, and I noticed that he wears number 12 of course. Man, if we get him, is he still going to wear number 12? Because that number was retired years ago…"

- Joe Namath

Could the NY Jets actually trade for Aaron Rodgers?

Bookies.com currently lists the Jets as the fourth most likely team for Rodgers in 2023, behind the Packers, San Francisco 49ers, and Las Vegas Raiders. The 10-time Pro Bowler has been noncommittal on his future with the organization.

It's unclear right now what Rodgers plans to do. He could return to Green Bay for a 19th season. He could force his way out via a trade. He could even retire. All options appear to be on the table.

If Rodgers is traded, however, there will be some tricky finances to navigate, on top of the hefty draft compensation that could be involved. Rodgers is still due a whopping $110 million over the final two years of his contract — an obscene amount for any team to take on.

That's the biggest reason why a Rodgers trade has seemed so unlikely in recent weeks. However, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Saturday that a Rodgers trade is a "real possibility," despite the tricky cap situation.

If Rodgers is made available, expect the Jets to be very interested. They'd likely have the support of the majority of their fan base, and that includes the legendary Joe Namath.

We could very well see a quarterback wearing a No. 12 Jets jersey again in 2023.