Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is 41 years old and is set to play in his 21st NFL season this fall. Or is he?
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Rodgers is currently a free agent and isn’t in an immediate rush to sign with an NFL team. He’s also said publicly that retirement isn’t off the table this off-season. It’s anybody’s guess as to whether Rodgers will sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers, a different team, or step away entirely from the game of football.
With the former Packers QB getting up there in age, he’s at the tail end of his career if he decides to continue playing. Speaking of age, Rodgers is the NFL’s oldest current player. Before him, it was former offensive tackle Jason Peters, who is 43 years old, but he retired from the NFL in January.
If Rodgers plays this season (which seems very likely), he, like Tom Brady during the 2022 season, will be the oldest player in the NFL. It’s amazing to see quarterbacks excel in the NFL in their 40s, but it is rare.
There’s only one other active quarterback in the NFL who’s over 40, and that is Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco. Flacco entered the league in 2008 when he was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens and had a late-career resurgence that’s seen him start 11 games over the last two seasons combined.
Another older but lesser-known quarterback who is up there in age is the Washington Commanders’ backup, Josh Johnson. Johnson turned 39 years old earlier this month and has been a member of over 14 different teams.
Some other more well-known quarterbacks that are up there in age are Russell Wilson (36) and Kirk Cousins (36).
When Brady retired from the NFL following the conclusion of the 2022-2023 season, he was 45 years old. Only two players in the history of the NFL played quarterback at an older age than Brady.
Former Columbus Pandhandles quarterback John Nesser played a game in 1921 at the age of 45 years old. The oldest active quarterback in the NFL was former Raiders quarterback George Blanda, who played in the NFL for 26 seasons and retired just before his 49th birthday. Blanda was also a placekicker and has the most extra point makes in NFL history.
To no surprise, Brady is also the oldest quarterback to win a Super Bowl. He was 43 years old and 188 days old when he and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won Super Bowl LV versus the Chiefs. The next oldest quarterback to win a Super Bowl is Peyton Manning, who won Super Bowl 50 with the Denver Broncos at 38 years old and 320 days.
