Who Is The Oldest Kicker In The NFL?
Who is the oldest kicker in the NFL? That would be Matt Bryant of the Atlanta Falcons, who is 42 years old.
Introduction
In professional football, the average career length is just 3.3 years. So it’s quite an accomplishment for any player to have a long and successful career in the NFL. But some players manage to play for many years, even into their 40s. In this article, we’ll take a look at the oldest kicker in the NFL, as well as some of the other oldest players in the league.
Kickers are often thought of as being at a disadvantage when it comes to longevity in the NFL. They don’t have the size and strength of other position players, and they’re not on the field for very long during a game. However, there have been several kickers who have defied the odds and played for many years.
Morten Andersen is the oldest kicker in NFL history. He was born in 1960 and played his first game in 1982. He played for 25 seasons with various teams before retiring in 2007. During his career, he made 565 field goals and 1,318 extra points. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
Gary Anderson is second on the list of oldest kickers in NFL history. He was born in 1959 and played his first game in 1982. He played for 23 seasons with various teams before retiring in 2004. During his career, he made 538 field goals and 952 extra points.
John Kasay is third on the list of oldest kickers in NFL history. He was born in 1968 and played his first game in 1991. He played for 21 seasons with various teams before retiring after the 2011 season. During his career, he made 461 field goals and 849 extra points.
So there you have it! These are three of the oldest kickers in NFL history. All three of them had long and successful careers despite being at a disadvantage because of their position.
The Oldest Kickers in the NFL
In the National Football League (NFL), the oldest player is generally the starting quarterback. As of 2019, that title belongs to soon-to-be free agent Tom Brady, who turned 42 years old in August. But Brady isn’t the only player on the wrong side of 40 still excelling in the NFL.
There are a number of players over 40 still playing at a high level, including New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul, and Arizona Cardinals kicker Phil Dawson. All three players are currently 41 years old and have no plans to retire anytime soon.
However, when it comes to kickers, Dawson is far from being the oldest player in the NFL. In fact, he’s not even close. That distinction belongs to Matt Prater of the Detroit Lions. Prater will turn 37 years old in May and is currently signed with the Lions through 2020.
So, while Brady may be the oldest player in the NFL overall, Matt Prater is currently the oldest kicker in the league.
How They Stay In Shape
Kickers are often some of the oldest players on an NFL roster. And while they might not get the same level of attention as the quarterback or running back, they play an important role on the team. So, how do they stay in shape?
Most kickers start out playing soccer, which gives them a good foundation for the kicking motion. They also work on their strength and conditioning, as well as their flexibility. A lot of kicking is about timing and accuracy, so kickers also spend a lot of time practicing their craft.
Some kickers have been known to use yoga to help with their flexibility, and others have used Pilates. It’s important for kickers to maintain their range of motion so they can continue to be accurate and perform at a high level.
The average age of an NFL kicker is about 34 years old. But there are some older kickers who are still performing at a high level. Matt Bryant, who is now 42 years old, is one of the oldest kickers in the NFL. He’s been kicking for 18 years and shows no signs of slowing down. Sebastian Janikowski, who is also 42 years old, is another kicker who is still performing at a high level. He’s been kicking for 21 years and shows no signs of slowing down either
Conclusion
The oldest player in the NFL is Morten Andersen, a placekicker who is currently retired. He is 69 years old.