Quarterback. It’s by far the most important position on a football. The quarterback generally determines the success of an NFL team.
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With the 2021 Draft ushering in a a wave of new NFL quarterbacks, all young and light on their feet, it makes you wonder, who are the oldest quarterbacks in the league?
The NFL has run for a long time, and quarterbacks have come in and out of the league at various points. However, some quarterbacks have stayed in the league far longer than others have.
The Oldest Quarterback To Play In The NFL & Top 10 Oldest QB’s Ever
#1. George Blanda: 48 years, 3 months, 18 days While Playing (Oldest Inactive Quarterback)
Blanda holds the record for the oldest quarterback to ever play the game of football. When he retired he was a whopping 48 years old!
Blanda played 26 years in the NFL from 1949 to 1975, playing for four different organizations. He played for the Chicago Bears (1949 and 1950 – 1958), the Baltimore Colts (1950), Houston Oilers (1960 – 1966), and the Oakland Raiders (1967 – 1975).
#2. John Nesser: 45 years While Playing
Nesser started playing football back in 1909, a time before the NFL even existed. However, he’s still considered one of the pioneers of the game, along with his six brothers.
Nesser played for 12 years on the Columbus Panhandlers. The Panhandlers are considered to be the first NFL team ever.
#3. Steve DeBerg: 44 years, 9 months, 6 days While Playing
DeBerg played in the NFL for 17 years, between 1977 and 1993 and then once more in 1998. DeBerg was quarterback for a multitude of teams over his career.
He played for the San Francisco 49ers (1977 – 1980), Denver Broncos (1981 – 1983), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1984 – 1987 and 1992 – 1993), Kansas City Chiefs (1988 – 1991), Miami Dolphins (1993), and Atlanta Falcons (1998).
#4. Vinny Testaverde: 44 years, 1 month, 17 days While Playing
Testaverde had a similar career to DeBerg as he bounced around the league during his 21 years of employment. Testaverde played between 1987 and 2007.
Testaverde played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1987 – 1992), Cleveland Browns (1993 – 1995), Baltimore Ravens (1996 – 1997), New York Jets (1998 – 2003 and 2005), Dallas Cowboys (2004), New England Patriots (2006), and Carolina Panthers (2007)
#5. Warren Moon: 43 years, 11 months, 4 days While Playing
Moon had a successful career during his 16 years in the league. He played between 1984 and 2000 and enjoyed a great deal of success, being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Moon played for the Houston Oilers (1984 – 1993), Minnesota Vikings (1994 – 1996), Seattle Seahawks (1997 – 1998), and Kansas City Chiefs (1999 – 2000).
#6. Tom Brady: 43 years, 7 months, 1 days While Playing (Oldest Active Quarterback)
Brady is not one of the oldest quarterbacks ever, but also perhaps the greatest ever to play the game. His motor keeps turning, and there doesn’t seem to be anything slowing him down.
Brady spent the first 20 years of his career (from 2000 to 2019) before switching over to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year. He won his seventh title with them, and it doesn’t seem like he has plans for retiring anytime soon. Brady is also the only active quarterback on this list.
#7. Doug Flutie: 43 years, 2 months, 9 days While Playing
Floutie is another quarterback who enjoyed a great deal of success during his time in the NFL. He played for 19 years between 1986 and 2005.
Floutie also saw his career pan out between a number of teams. He played for the Chicago Bears (1986 – 1987), New England Patriots (1987 – 1989 and 2005), Buffalo Bills (1998 – 2000), and San Diego Chargers (2001 – 2004).
#8. Earl Morrall: 42 years, 6 months, 25 days While Playing
Morrall’s NFL career dates back to the early years as well, as he played between 1956 and 1976 for 21 years. While Morrall never became a true starting caliber quarterback, he is widely recognized as the best backup quarterback.
Morall played for the San Francisco 49ers (1956), Pittsburgh Steelers (1957 – 1958), Detroit Lions (1958 – 1964), New York Giants (1965 – 1967), Baltimore Colts (1968 – 1971), and Miami Dolphins (1972 – 1976).
#9. Drew Brees: 42 years, 1 month 20 days While Playing
Brees would be the only other active quarterback to make this list, but he announced his retirement in the 2021 offseason. Brees is a lock for the Hall Of Fame and owns several passing records along with a Super Bowl title.
Had he not retired, it’s a safe bet that he could have pushed his numbers even higher. Like Brady, Brees has only played for two NFL teams: the San Diego Chargers (2001 – 2005) and the New Orleans Saints (2006 – 2021).
#10. Brett Favre: 41 years, 2 months, 10 days While Playing
Favre is another all-time great quarterback to make the list. In his prime, Favre was known as a gunslinger, a poised passer with a big arm.
Favre won one Super Bowl in his career, and he played with the Atlanta Falcons (1991), Green Bay Packers (1992 – 2007), New York Jets (2008), and Minnesota Vikings (2009 – 2010).
