Football Hall of Famer Joe Namath told Fox News, “I really believe the male animal is bigger, stronger, for the most part than the female, and I would not want to see a lady out on the field. But if she earns her way, I’ll be pulling for her.”
After four minutes of playing a hurricane expert on Fox News this morning, the talk finally shifted to Namath’s real area of expertise, football. He brought up Carli Lloyd, the women’s soccer star who recently kicked a 55-yard field goal after a practice.
Namath jokingly suggested Lloyd’s agent should contact the New York Jets about a field kicking job. Host Neil Cavuto asked if maybe she really should be “allowed an opportunity” to become a professional field goal kicker for the NFL.
“Yes, yes, no,” Namath said. “I’m all for opportunity and if she can earn the job, good. Anyone male or female if they are fit for the job and can do it as well or better than anybody else, they should have that opportunity to work.”
But Namath followed that by saying he knows “how violent” football can be, “and I really believe the male animal is bigger, stronger for the most part than the female, and I would not want to see a lady out on the field.”
“But if she earns her way, I’ll be pulling for her,” Namath added.
“I have a feeling you’ll be getting a couple of e-mails,” Cavuto said.
He lost me at “the male animal is bigger, stronger than the female.”
What do you think? Watch it below, from the August 31, 2019 Cavuto Live and share your thoughts.
In the context of the level of athleticism of the NFL – at risk of being accused of being a sexist – his “most part” is correct. Lloyd is competing in the realm of NFL kickers who are generally mocked because they rarely come in contact with another player are are the most protected player (e.g., a big penalty for running into the kicker) on the field by NFL rules.
