NFL

Ageless Wonders: The Oldest Active Players In The NFL Today

Darren - April 27, 2023

NFL

Ageless Wonders: The Oldest Active Players In The NFL Today

Darren - April 27, 2023

Graham Gano

Gano is another of the oldest active players in the NFL today. The best placekickers earn a fantastic living because they make buckets of cash but don’t take the same punishment as other positions. That’s why many of the oldest-ever NFL players played in this position. It’s a great gig if they can stay consistent and prove their worth.

The 36-year-old Gano is one of the league’s longest-serving players. He spent seven seasons with the Panthers in between spells with the Giants and the Redskins. Gano made the Pro Bowl for the first time in 2018 and also set a bunch of records for FSU. There’s no reason why he can’t play at a high level for a few more seasons (via Fansided).

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Thomas Morstead

This 37-year-old veteran is another of the league’s oldest players. Morstead is a dependable punter who spent 11 seasons with the Saints. After he left New Orleans he bounced around the NFL as teams tried to find a reliable option. The highlight moment of his career was the Saints’ Super Bowl victory over the Colts in 2009.

Meanwhile, he earned himself a Pro Bowl selection in 2012. The former SMU star has had a fantastic professional career and was brilliant at his peak. It says a lot about his professionalism that franchises continue to bring him on board. Maybe he’ll retire soon but he has been brilliant for several years (via Fox Sports).

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Ty Nsekhe

Nsheke has had one of the most nomadic football careers ever because he took the long road to the top. After he left Texas State, he played Arena Football before earning the step up to the NFL. It feels like Nshekhe changes teams every season and he isn’t afraid to travel North to the CFL either.

Nonetheless, NFL franchises continue to sign the 37-year-old. Sometimes he remains on their practice squad and helps his teammates learn from his experience. But occasionally teams activate the veteran and he never lets anybody down. The offensive tackle isn’t the best in his position now but he loves football (via Democrat and Chronicle).

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Brian Hoyer

Hoyer is arguably one of the NFL’s biggest overachievers and has had an excellent career. Some people will scoff at this because he only had two seasons as a starter but they’re missing the point. The 37-year-old veteran was an undrafted free agent when the Patriots signed him for the first time in 2009.

Since then Hoyer has played for eight teams, not including three separate spells with the Patriots. Hoyer is one of the league’s most dependable backup quarterbacks and he does a job that nobody appreciates. Furthermore, he won a Super Bowl ring backing up Tom Brady in 2018 (via NBC Sports).

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Matthew Slater

Bill Belichick loves his longtime captain Slater because he has been phenomenal. The 37-year-old gunner contributed to some of the Patriots’ greatest moments over the past couple of decades. He is a three-time Super Bowl winner with the franchise and a two-time All-Pro selection.

This hard-nosed veteran doesn’t make headlines but he played a crucial role in New England’s successes. Technically, Slater is a receiver but the reality is that he’s their special team’s king. They should call him Gandalf because he never lets anybody get past him. Slater is 37 now and one of the league’s oldest active players (via Portland Press-Herald).

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Duane Brown

The Texans made Brown a first-round draft pick in 2008 and he continues to play as one of the league’s oldest active players. Brown is a brilliant offensive tackle who spent the bulk of his career in Houston. Then he moved to Seattle where he continued his Pro Bowl form before joining the Jets.

Brown isn’t there to make up the numbers because the gritty star plays through the pain barrier. Robert Saleh paid tribute to Brown in 2022 because he showed immense character. Brown is an inspiration to his younger teammates because he has done everything. The 37-year-old veteran is certainly in the twilight of his career but he refuses to slow down (via Sports Illustrated).

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Kevin Huber

2022 was an emotional year for Huber because it marked his final season in Cincinnati. The local hero went to high school in the city before joining the Bearcats. Then the Bengals made him a fifth-round draft selection in 2009. He doesn’t tear up trees outside the 583 but he’s one of the city’s most loyal sons.

Huber has a Pro Bowl appearance to his name and set multiple records for the Bengals. He has more appearances for Cincinnati than any other player in franchise history. The punter was also a starter for his full career with the Bengals. The 37-year-old is now searching for a new challenge as he refuses to retire (via Yardbreaker).

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Matt Overton

Overton was one of the best long-snappers in the sport during his time with the Colts. He enjoyed five years in Indianapolis before he moved to Jacksonville and began a road trip around the NFL. The 37-year-old is one of the league’s oldest active players. He doesn’t play in the most glamorous position but it’s a crucial role.

Long-snappers have a tough job because they must be fast and accurate under pressure. Overton earned a Pro Bowl appearance in 2013 because he was one of the most efficient in the sport. Franchises always pick up veterans like Overton because they can rely on them in tough situations (via Dallas Morning News).

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Matt Ryan

Ryan is arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks of his generation. The 2016 NFL MVP should probably be a Super Bowl winner but the Falcons suffered maybe the worst meltdown in NFL playoff history. Nonetheless, the 37-year-old has had a magnificent career and is one of the most respected professionals in the sport.

Now the four-time Pro Bowler is one of the oldest active players in the NFL. It’s fair to say that the Colts probably wish that he retired earlier after a disastrous 2022 season. But Ryan refuses to give up on his career and has another season or two left in his cleats. Enjoy this legend while he continues playing because he won’t be around for much longer (via Fansided).

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Joe Flacco

It’s fair to say that Flacco has had one of the wildest NFL careers ever. He began life in Delaware before the Ravens made him a first-round draft selection. The quarterback spent 10 years with the franchise and won a Super Bowl. He was even the Super Bowl MVP after an excellent display against the Niners.

Flacco set a bunch of records during his time in Baltimore. He became the first rookie QB to win a pair of playoff games and has an excellent individual postseason resume. Yes, he began declining in the late 2010s but he accepted life as a backup. Now the 38-year-old is one of the NFL’s oldest active players but he still has plenty to offer (via Sporting News).

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Nick Folk

It’s wild that Folk is on this list because he walked away from football after an unhappy spell with the Bucs. Then he played Arena football before the Patriots knocked on his door. This signaled an Indian summer for the placekicker who is one of the NFL’s oldest active players. He was even the NFL’s scoring leader in 2021.

This was quite the turnaround because everybody thought that he was done. But Folk couldn’t resist the lure of the bright lights. Placekickers have a unique opportunity to be heroes because the game stops for them to score. Folk also set a record for the most consecutive field goals from under 50 yards in 2022. It doesn’t look like he’s planning on slowing down anytime soon (via The Athletic).

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Mason Crosby

Crosby was one of the Packers’ longest-serving stars before he departed the franchise as a free agent in 2022. He refuses to retire so the 38-year-old remains of the NFL’s oldest active players. The placekicker was a Super Bowl champion in 2010 and was the league’s scoring champion in 2007. He’s had a glittering career as one of the best in his position.

No other Green Bay player has ever scored more points for the franchise than Crosby. Meanwhile, he played in 12 postseason campaigns and they remained a competitive force throughout his tenure. It’s remarkable how many games Crosby played for the Packers with 258 appearances before he left (via Heavy).

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Matt Prater

Prater is an NFL legend because he’s a scoring machine. He has the most field goals from beyond 50 yards in NFL history and set a clutch of records during his career. Denver and Detroit fans loved him because of his ice-cold consistency. Now he’s playing for the Cardinals and continues to be an elite option (via Arizona Sports).

This is wild because he is one of the NFL’s oldest active players but his legs retain their power. The two-time Pro Bowler has a winning mentality and doesn’t allow his misses to affect him. There’s even talk about him becoming one of the rare kickers to make the Hall of Fame. This 38-year-old veteran can’t do much more than keep scoring.

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Clark Harris

Another long-snapper, it’s impossible not to like Harris. Everybody thought that he would retire after an injury in 2022 but the 38-year-old refused to quit. The man loves football more than anything else in his life and dedicated himself to the sport. He played for Detroit and the Texans before enjoying 14 seasons with the Bengals.

Cincinnati has adopted him as one of their own because he has stayed for so long. The former Pro Bowler is a cult hero in Cincy but that’s no surprise. Fans appreciated Harris’s durability because he never missed games with injuries before 2022. The mustachioed legend is one of the league’s oldest active players (via Bengals.com).

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Marcedes Lewis

Lewis is tougher than an overdone steak because he’s one of the NFL’s oldest active players but refuses to quit. The 38-year-old tight end isn’t making up the numbers on Green Bay’s roster. Incredibly, he started 43 straight games for the franchise as he shows that there’s still life in the old dog (via Sports Illustrated).

It’s a remarkable statistic that proves his devotion to the sport. Lewis is also one of Green Bay’s most inspiring leaders because of his professionalism and resilience. The former Pro Bowler doesn’t make headlines but he still plays a key role on this young Packers roster. Remember, he played 12 seasons for Jacksonville too.

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Aaron Rodgers

It feels like it was just yesterday when a young Rodgers replaced Brett Favre as Green Bay’s starting quarterback. 18 seasons later he proved that he was one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. Now he’s one of the league’s elder statesmen because the 39-year-old is of the oldest active players.

Nonetheless, he continues to be one of the most coveted athletes in the sport. The four-time MVP is a Super Bowl champion and has many individual awards. Many people think that he’s the most naturally gifted talent of his generation. Yes, he rubs some fans up the wrong way but he’s still a brilliant player (via NBC Sports).

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Robbie Gould

The 40-year-old Gould is another of the league’s oldest active players. The placekicker enjoyed 10 years in Chicago where he became a fan favorite. That’s no surprise because he is also the franchise’s all-time leading scorer. Gould left the Bears in 2015 but he craved a return after a year in New York. Unfortunately, that never happened but he continues to play.

He revived his career in San Francisco where he enjoyed five seasons. Gould has no intentions of hanging up his cleats but he is ready for life after football. Many football players suffer financial problems after they leave the sport. The kicker is already dabbling in the business world and hopes that will be his future (via NBC Sports).

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Andy Lee

Lee is a four-time Pro Bowler and one of the NFL’s oldest active players. He led the league in punting yards three times and is also a three-time All-Pro selection. In sum, he’s one of the greatest ever in his position. The punter has enjoyed a staggering career that he split between four franchises.

There were 11 seasons in San Francisco before he spent one apiece in Cleveland and Charlotte. Then he joined Arizona and reignited his career. But Lee continues to impress his fans with some great performances. In 2022, he memorably caught Tampa sleeping with a four-yard chain-moving throw (via NFL.com).

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Jason Peters

Peters assumed the mantle of the NFL’s oldest active player after Tom Brady retired in 2023. The 41-year-old offensive tackle became the league’s elder statesman but he had an amazing journey. The Bills picked him up as an undrafted free agent in 2004. Since then, he’s had a magnificent career including a Super Bowl win with the Eagles.

The nine-time Pro Bowler won’t be around for much longer but he’s given everything to the sport. There’s a reason why Chicago and Dallas offered him short-term deals. They recognized his leadership qualities and experience. This is invaluable because it inspires younger players and improves them too (via Fox Sports).

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Ageless Wonders: The Oldest Active Players In The NFL Today

Ageless Wonders: The Oldest Active Players In The NFL Today

Graham Gano

Thomas Morstead

Ty Nsekhe

Brian Hoyer

Matthew Slater

Duane Brown

Kevin Huber

Matt Overton

Matt Ryan

Joe Flacco

Nick Folk

Mason Crosby

Matt Prater

Clark Harris

Marcedes Lewis

Aaron Rodgers

Robbie Gould

Andy Lee

Jason Peters

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