Who Was The Oldest Quarterback In The NFL?
Who Was The Oldest Quarterback In The NFL?
We all know that quarterbacks are some of the most important players on a football team. They are the ones who lead the team to victory (or defeat). So, it’s no surprise that people are always wondering who the oldest quarterback in the NFL is.
Well, the answer may surprise you. According to research, the oldest quarterback in the NFL is actually Peyton Manning. That’s right, the same Peyton Manning who
George Blanda
George Blanda was an American football player who played 26 seasons in the National Football League, the American Football League, and the United Football League. He was a quarterback, placekicker, and punter. He was the oldest player in NFL history to play at the age of 48.
Born in 1927
George Blanda was born in 1927 in Youngwood, Pennsylvania, the son of a coal miner. He attended Youngwood High School, where he played football and basketball. After graduation, he worked in the coal mines for a year before enlisting in the United States Navy in 1945. He served for two years before being discharged in 1947. He then enrolled at the University of Kentucky, where he played football and baseball.
Played for the Chicago Bears, Houston Oilers, and Oakland Raiders
George Blanda (September 17, 1927 – September 27, 2010) was an American football quarterback and placekicker who played 26 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Chicago Bears and Houston Oilers. He retired from pro football in 1976 at the age of 48, having played more seasons (26) and games (340) than any other player in NFL history at that time. Blanda was also the only player to score points in four different decades. He holds the record for most extra points made (265) and attempted (302).
Blanda joined the Bears in 1949 after a brief stint with the Baltimore Colts. He was released by Chicago during the 1954 season when they needed to make room on their roster for Otto Graham, though he rejoined the team early in 1955 upon Graham’s retirement. After one season with Chicago, Blanda was signed by Len Dawson to play for the Houston Oilers as both their quarterback and placekicker. From 1960 to 1961, he led the AFL in touchdown passes while being named First-team All-AFL three times as a quarterback before being traded back to Oakland following a bitter contract dispute in 1967.
Blanda later played for Oakland and Kansas City as a placekicker before retiring from football at age 48 on January 14, 1977. He became an instant success for Oakland after his trade from Houston; leading his team on numerous late comebacks and clutch performances en route to an appearance in Super Bowl II where he completed 12 of 20 passes for 168 yards against Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi’s team that had held Blanda without a touchdown pass during their two regular season meetings that year. Following his retirement, Blanda began working extensively as a color commentator on NFL telecasts during 1977 while also serving as a special assistant coach with Raiders head coach John Madden.
Blanda later worked as head coach of teams in both World Football League and United States Football League before returning to his previous job as a color analyst during the mid-1980s. He died on September 27, 2010 at age 83 due most likely to natural causes though an autopsy was not performed per his family’s request; he is survived by his wife Betty Jane and their four children: Gina, Kevin, Kurt, and Kyle.
Was the oldest player in the NFL at 48 years old
George Blanda (September 17, 1927 – September 27, 2010) was an American football quarterback and placekicker who played 26 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), principally with the Houston Oilers. He retired from professional football in 1976 at age 48 after a 26-year career, during which he played for numerous teams. Blanda is one of only two players to play in four different decades (1940s–1970s), and he holds the record for most extra points kicked. He was selected to both the All-Pro and Pro Bowl teams in 1961.
Blanda was named as an All-Pro five additional times: 1963 to 1967 inclusive. He became the first player over age 40 named to an All-Pro squad when he made it in 1964 at age 37. Blanda led the AFL in touchdown passes thrown in 1961, 1962, and 1966; and he led the league twice in touchdown passes thrown over 40 yards (1966 & 1968). In his 21 seasons with the Oilers/Raiders organization, Blanda passed for 236 touchdowns and completed 49 of 103 passes for 964 yards during one playoff game against Miami in 1971—all franchise records that still stand today.
Vinny Testaverde
Testaverde was born on November 13, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York. He played quarterback for the New York Jets from 1998 to 1999,
Born in 1963
Vincent Frank Testaverde Sr. (born November 13, 1963), nicknamed “Vinny”, is a former American football quarterback who played for 21 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Miami, where he was an All-American. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers first overall in the 1987 NFL Draft. Testaverde also played for the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers.
In his NFL career spanning from 1987 to 2007, Testaverde appeared in 285 games completed 3,787 out of 6,700 passes for 46,233 yards and 275 touchdowns with 247 interceptions. As of 2019, he ranks 18th all-time in passing yards and 26th all-time in passing touchdowns. His 46 career passing touchdowns with the Jets are currently the sixth most in franchise history. Testaverde is one of only six quarterbacks to have thrown for at least 3,000 yards in 14 different seasons (1995–2007). In 1998 he became the first Jets quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards in a season.
At age 44 years and four days old on December 20, 2007, he became both the oldest quarterback to ever play an NFL game as well as setting the record for longest gap between NFL appearances by a player (21 years), surpassing Warren Moon’s previous record of 17 years set earlier that same day.
Played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, and Dallas Cowboys
Vinny Testaverde is a retired American football quarterback who played for 21 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was the first overall pick in the 1987 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and also played for the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, and Dallas Cowboys. In his 21 NFL seasons, Testaverde appeared in more than 250 games, throwing for over 46,000 yards and275 touchdowns. He was named to one Pro Bowl and was awarded the Bert Bell Award as well as Comeback Player of the Year in 1988.
Was the oldest player in the NFL at 44 years old
Retired NFL quarterback Vinny Testaverde was the oldest player in the NFL at 44 years old. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers first overall in the 1987 NFL Draft. Testaverde played 21 seasons in the NFL, winning one Super Bowl as a member of the Baltimore Ravens in 2000.
Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie was the oldest quarterback in the NFL when he retired in 2005. He was born on October 23, 1962, in Manchester, Maryland. Flutie played college football at Boston College, where he won the Heisman Trophy in 1984. He then went on to play in the USFL and the CFL before finally making it to the NFL in 1986.
Born in 1962
Doug Flutie was born in 1962 in Manchester, Connecticut, the son of Joan and Dick Flutie. He is of Irish descent. The youngest of three brothers, he focused on baseball as a youth, excelling at the game. He wanted to play professional baseball, but his career was cut short by a torn rotator cuff injury in college. He then turned his attention to football.
Played for the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, and San Diego Chargers
Doug Flutie played quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He played college football for Boston College, and was drafted in the 11th round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams. He didn’t play in 1985, spending that season on injured reserve before being traded to the Chicago Bears, where he played one game in 1986. Flutie was signed by the New England Patriots as a free agent in 1987, and spent four seasons there before being released. After one season with the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL), he was traded to the Buffalo Bills, where he became their starting quarterback for eight seasons. Flutie signed with the San Diego Chargers as a free agent in 2001, and spent two seasons there before returning to play for the Patriots during their 2004 season. He retired following that season.
Was the oldest player in the NFL at 43 years old
In 1998, at the age of 36, Doug Flutie became the oldest player in the National Football League (NFL) when he joined the Chicago Bears. He played for one season with the Bears before moving to the San Diego Chargers, where he played for six seasons. In 2005, at the age of 43, he retired from playing professional football.