Top 10 oldest players in NFL history

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady defied the odds by playing at a championship level well past the age most NFL players retire.

While the average NFL player only lasts about 3 1/2 years, Brady retired after his age-45 season and broke into the top nine of the oldest players in NFL history.

9. Ben Agajanian

Position: Kicker
Age in final game: 45 
Teams: New York Giants, San Diego Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Dallas Texans, Green Bay Packers, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers
Years active: 1945-1964

Known as The Toeless Wonder, Agajanian had four amputated toes and still managed to play across three decades as a kicker in the NFL.

After his long playing career, Agajanian had an even bigger impact as the kicking coach for the Dallas Cowboys. He was the first kicker to take three steps back and two steps to the side, and the first to have the laces held outward. His focus on technique changed the way the game is played.

8. Tom Brady

Position: Quarterback
Age in final game: 45
Teams: New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Years active: 2000-2022

Widely considered the greatest player of all time, Brady adopted a unique regimen to keep himself in peak shape.

In his age-40 season, the then-Patriot led the league in passing yards, yards per game, and passing attempts. In his 22nd season, Brady led the league in passing yards, yards per game and passing touchdowns in a season that ended with the second-year Buccaneer winning his seventh Super Bowl and fifth Super Bowl MVP — both records. 

7. Gary Anderson

Position: Kicker
Age during final game: 45 
Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers
Years active: 1982-2004

The South African grew up playing soccer and rugby and didn’t touch a football until he was 18.

Once he arrived in the U.S., his childhood sports clearly benefited him, as he went on to become the first NFL kicker to have a perfect regular season while with the Vikings in 1998.

At the time of his retirement, Anderson was the leading scorer in NFL history.

T5. Bobby Marshall

Position: End
Age in final game: 45 
Teams: Rock Island Independents, Duluth Kelleys
Years active: 1920, 1925

Well before the modern NFL as we now know it, the first Black man to play professional football was Bobby Marshall for the Rock Island Independents. 

Years later, he played with the Duluth Kelleys at age 45.

T5. John Nesser

Position: Offensive line
Age in final game: 45 
Teams: Columbus Panhandles
Years active: 1921

A member of the Nesser family, which had six family members play football, John played until the age of 45 for the Columbus Panhandles.

Nesser and Marshall are placed in a tie since their precise ages in their last game is not known because of insufficient information. Each, however, had already celebrated their 45th birthday.

4. John Carney

Position: Kicker
Age in final game: 46 
Teams: San Diego Chargers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Los Angeles Rams
Years active: 1988-2010

Carney is one of only a few NFL players who played in four different decades.

At the age of 46 in 2010, Carney booted three field goals in a 16-14 Saints victory. Carney holds the record for most four-field goal games (29).

3. Adam Vinatieri

Position: Kicker
Age in final game: 46
Teams: New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts
Years active: 1996-2019

The NFL’s all-time leader in points scored, postseason points scored, and field goals made, Vinatieri has made some of the most memorable kicks in the league’s history.

Along with his longevity records, Vinatieri also has four Super Bowl wins and the record for most consecutive field goals made (44).

2. Morten Anderson

Position: Kicker
Age in final game: 47
Teams: New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings
Years active: 1982-2007

Just a few years after Gary Anderson retired as the league’s all-time leading scorer, Morten Anderson (no relation) surpassed the record and played until the age of 47.

Nicknamed Mr. Automatic, Anderson was reliable all the way through the end of his career, including a five-field goal performance at 46.

1. George Blanda

Position: Quarterback, kicker
Age in final game: 48
Teams: Chicago Bears, Oakland Raiders, Houston Oilers, Baltimore Colts
Years active: 1949-1975

The oldest player in NFL history, Blanda managed to see the field for 26 seasons as a quarterback (he sat out in 1959) and scored at least one point in each campaign.

Blanda was utilized both as a placekicker and a quarterback, and it is hard to imagine a position player ever coming close to breaking Blanda’s record.

This story was updated by Rick Seto.