Aaron Rodgers is in search of a job as an NFL quarterback in 2025. Aaron Rodgers is 41 years outdated. These two details are inextricable from each other, as the marketplace for 41-year-old quarterbacks is slim certainly after the New York Jets introduced they’re shifting on from him after two disappointing seasons. But it surely’s not nonexistent! A number of present and future Corridor of Fame quarterbacks have put up some extremely productive seasons after age 40. What does their observe report portend for Rodgers’ probabilities of having fun with extra touchdowns, celebrations and gloating on the haters?
It’s value noting that only a few quarterbacks even take snaps of their 40s. Lots of the best quarterbacks in NFL historical past retired after their age-37 (Matt Ryan), age-38 (John Elway, Eli Manning, Dan Marino) or age-39 (Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger) seasons. So the truth that Rodgers was even upright in any respect final season defied odds. However how for much longer can he go? Let’s check out a number of the different notable 40-something quarterbacks in NFL historical past and see what we will be taught.
George Blanda (Profession: 1949-1975)
Age-41 season: 1 sport began, 522 yards passing, 6 TDs, 2 INTs
The story: Blanda’s profession is a wild experience from quarterback to kicker to retirement and forwards and backwards once more. By his 40s, he was largely irrelevant as a quarterback, however he completed second in MVP voting in his age-43 season after main comebacks with each his arm and his leg. Because it’s unlikely Rodgers will change to kicking, Blanda’s profession arc might be secure.
Tom Brady (Profession: 2000-2022)
Age-41 season: 16 video games, 4,355 yards passing, 29 TDs, 11 INTs
The story: The unicorn. In his age-41 yr, Brady was coming off an MVP season, and all he did was take New England to a Tremendous Bowl championship. He would then go on to play one other 4 seasons, profitable one more Tremendous Bowl. In his age-44 season, he led the league in makes an attempt, completions and yardage, ending second in MVP voting — to Rodgers, of all folks. Brady is and can perpetually be the outlier, however each quarterback who hits his late 30s now thinks he’s the benchmark.
Drew Brees (Profession: 2001-2020)
Age-41 season: 12 video games began, 2,942 yards passing, 24 TDs, 6 INTs
The story: Brees, the Saints legend and future Corridor of Famer, retired after his age-41 season, when it turned clear that his effectiveness had declined relative to his huge contract. He suffered dropoffs in most main statistical classes, and only one yr after being named to the Professional Bowl, and two years after ending runner-up in MVP voting, he was carried out.
Steve DeBerg (Profession: 1978-1998)
Age-41 season: Retired
The story: DeBerg retired in 1993 in his age-39 season, then got here out of retirement 5 years later at age 44 to hitch the Falcons as a backup to Chris Chandler. He performed in eight video games, began one, threw for 369 yards and three touchdowns, and ended his profession for good on a Tremendous Bowl roster.
Brett Favre (Profession: 1991-2010)
Age-41 season: 13 video games began, 2,509 yards passing, 11 TDs, 19 INTs
The story: Like Brees, Favre retired after his age-41 season, along with his effectiveness in extreme decline. Nonetheless, he did go from the Packers to the Jets to the Vikings, so he blazed a profession path for Rodgers in that manner.
Doug Flutie (Profession: 1968-2005)
Age-41 season: 7 video games, 1,097 yards passing, 9 TDs, 4 INTs
The story: Flutie’s age-41 season was his final fairly productive one, enjoying for San Diego. He performed for an additional two years for the Chargers and Patriots, however by no means actually had any substantial presence within the sport once more.
Warren Moon (Profession: 1984-2000)
Age-41 season: 15 video games, 3,678 yards passing, 25 TDs, 16 INTs
The story: Moon had a stable age-41 season, making the Professional Bowl and placing up respectable numbers for the Seahawks. Moon would go on to play three extra seasons, however solely one in every of them — his age-42 season — was something greater than cameos. Moon performed a protracted, very long time, however Father Time ran him down at about this level, too.
Vinny Testaverde (Profession: 1987-2007)
Age-41 season: 16 video games, 3,532 yards passing, 17 TDs, 20 INTs
The story: Testaverde’s age-41 season was his final as a dependable starter, in that season for the Cowboys. He would go on to play one other three seasons for 3 completely different groups — Jets, Patriots, Panthers — and by no means performed in additional than seven video games a yr. He was nonetheless fairly productive in his age-41 yr — just a little too productive by way of interceptions, the place he led the league — however tailed off in a rush after that.
So there it’s. The probabilities that Rodgers will succeed at age 41 are usually not massive, however they’re additionally not zero, both. All he has to do is emulate the best quarterback of all time. Straightforward sufficient, proper?
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