Okay, so I got thinking the other day, probably after seeing some highlights or reading an article, about who the real veterans are at the quarterback spot in the NFL. You know, the guys who’ve been around forever. It kinda sparked my curiosity.
Finding the Current Old Guy
My first step was just trying to figure out who’s the oldest QB playing right now, like for this current season. I poked around online, did a few quick searches. The name that popped up most was Aaron Rodgers with the Jets. He’s definitely up there in age, hit 40 recently.
It got a little confusing for a second because sometimes you hear about other older players getting signed, like that offensive lineman Jason Peters who was even older, but focusing strictly on quarterbacks, Rodgers seemed to be the main guy holding that title for active players heading into the season.
Digging Deeper: The All-Time Record
But then I thought, okay, who’s the oldest ever to play quarterback? Like, the ultimate iron man of the position. That took a bit more digging. I had to look back through history.
And that’s when I landed on George Blanda. Man, this guy’s story is something else. He wasn’t just a quarterback; he was a kicker too! Can you imagine doing both these days?
- His career started way back in 1949.
- He played until he was 48 years old!
- His last season was apparently in 1975, wrapping up a wild 26-year career.
Playing until 48 is just mind-blowing in such a tough sport.
Other Notable Old Timers
Of course, while searching, other names came up that most fans would recognize for playing late into their careers. Guys like Tom Brady and Drew Brees. They were playing into their 40s too.
I even stumbled across a fun fact: when Brady and Brees played against each other near the end of their careers, their combined age was apparently the oldest ever for two starting QBs in a single game. Something like a combined 85 years old on the field. That’s pretty wild to think about.
So yeah, that was my little dive into the oldest quarterbacks. Started with who’s playing now and ended up learning about a legend like Blanda. It’s pretty cool seeing how long some of these guys can compete at such a high level.
