Most NFL players have brief careers; they generally retire in their early 30s. This is due to the fact that NFL careers are frequently short, and organizations in the league are fast to remove players who have large salary cap implications. However, a few players continue to demonstrate that old age do not prevent them from competing in the league.
Tom Brady established a new benchmark for durability in the modern NFL after playing for the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for 23 seasons. Nevertheless, the seven-time Super Bowl champion ended his career at the end of the 2022 season. It was then that the league had a new oldest player for the first time in many years.
Aaron Rodgers of the New York Jets became the oldest active player in the NFL during the 2023 season, and when the 2024 season begins, the quarterback is expected to hold that position once more.
Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!
Given that quarterbacks are hit the least frequently of all skill position players, it should not come as a huge surprise to many that the oldest player in the league entering the season is a quarterback. These players frequently have lengthier longevity rates than others on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.
Special team players with relatively little wear and tear, like long snappers, punters and kickers, also tend to have longer careers than others.
The 40-year-old Rodgers is coming off a season where he tore his Achilles tendon in the Jets' opening contest. The season that long-suffering Jets supporters had anticipated would end years of defeat was abruptly derailed by that injury. Now that he's in his second season with the Jets, Rodgers will try to come good.
Rodgers had played for the Green Bay Packers for 18 seasons before the 2023 campaign. During that time, he made 10 Pro Bowls and won four NFL MVP honors and a Super Bowl with the Packers in 2011.
The NFL and its media partners are counting on Aaron Rodgers to be fit for 2024, with the Jets slated to play six prime-time games this season.
Who are the 10 oldest active NFL players ahead of the 2024 season?
The table below shows the 10 oldest players who are contracted to NFL teams going into the 2024 season. It's important to note that only players currently signed to NFL contracts are considered for this compilation.
Green Bay Packers Fans! Check out the latest Packers Schedule and dive into the Green Bay Packers Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.