Ravens RB Jamal Lewis told the Browns he was going to run all over them and followed it up in 2003. AP

By Ben Reiter

In 1969 Jets QB Joe Namath guaranteed that his 17 1/2-point underdog Jets would whip the Colts in Super Bowl III (above). They did. Last week Jets DE Shaun Ellis boasted his team would beat the Steelers. Oops. Here's a look at one of the NFL's liveliest arts

1962 | PAUL HORNUNG
Brag: Before the season Packers great Hornung, who wore a sweater emblazoned with his initials in foot-high letters, said he planned to do "something the fans haven't seen before.... I just can't help being dramatic."
Reality: The Golden Boy-who played RB, WR, QB and kicker-suffered a knee injury and played just nine games, scoring 74 points, far below the record 176 he scored in '60.

1967 | FRED WILLIAMSON
Brag: Chiefs CB, known as the Hammer because he often tackled with a forearm to the head, said before Super Bowl I, "Green Bay Packers ... we're gonna whip their asses." He added, "I'm going to lay a few hammers on 'em, and they're going to go back into the huddle with their heads ringing."
Reality: Williamson was carried off the field after being run over by Packers RB Donny Anderson in the fourth quarter of Green Bay's 35-10 win.

1970 | TERRY BRADSHAW
Brag: Upon being picked No. 1 in the draft by 1-13 Pittsburgh, the Louisiana native announced, "I'm going to take the Steelers to the Super Bowl!"
Reality: As late as October 1974, when he was benched, it appeared Bradshaw would eat his words. But he rebounded to lead the Steelers to a first Super Bowl title that season. Then he did it again ... and again ... and again.

1979 | THOMAS (HOLLYWOOD) HENDERSON
Brag: Before Super Bowl XIII, Henderson, a LB, said his Cowboys would shut out Pittsburgh, adding, "Bradshaw's so dumb, he couldn't spell cat if you spotted him the c and the a."
Reality: "Empty barrels," Pittsburgh coach Chuck Noll said, "make the most noise." Steelers won 35-31, and Bradshaw passed for 318 yards. "I rated his intelligence. I didn't rate his ability," said Henderson, who later admitted to having sniffed 1 1Ú2 grams of liquefied cocaine during the game.

1986 | OTIS WILSON
Brag: Chicago LB, before Super Bowl XX against Pats: "If we follow our game plan, we'll shut them out."
Reality: No blanking, but Bears scored 17 points before allowing a first down and won 46-10.

1994 | ANDRE RISON
Brag: "What Jerry [Rice] does, he knows I can do," said the Falcons WR. "And I can do some things [he] can't."
Reality: Rison: 84 TDs; 10,205 receiving yards; and, at 33, out of the NFL. Rice: 197 TDs; 22,895 yards; and, at 42, still active.

2001 | WARREN SAPP
Brag: Sapp said of Mark Gastineau's single-season record of 22 sacks, "I'm going to take it down."
Reality: Sapp had six sacks while the Giants' Michael Strahan broke the record with 221Ú2.

2003 | JAMAL LEWIS
Brag: In a phone call with Browns LB Andra Davis before a Sept. 14 game against Cleveland, Ravens RB said he could have the best game of his career. Davis revealed the prediction to the press.
Reality: Lewis racked up an NFL- record 295 yards in Ravens' 33-13 rout. Said Browns LB Earl Little, "I guess the dude is Nostradamus."

2004 | CHAD JOHNSON
Brag: Bengals receiver sent Cleveland defenders bottles of Pepto-Bismol for the intestinal distress he promised to cause them in an Oct. 17 matchup. He attached a note: "Hope this adds some color and relief to your week."
Reality: Johnson needed help to stomach his performance. He flubbed more passes (four) than he caught (three), and had just 37 yards in a 34-17 loss.

Issue date: January 24, 2005