Beating Father Time: 40+ Oldest Players in NFL History

Originally published on our site foodisinthehouse.com

Football is a fantastic sport. It has thrills, excitement, and joy—and anyone can play it. Regardless of if you are short or tall, thin or muscular, there is a place for you in the sport. Even age doesn't play a factor.

While in most professional sports, players over the age of 30 are considered to be on the backend of their careers, in football, those are the prime years. Some players even play well past 40! Let's take a look at some of the oldest players to play in the NFL.

Sebastian Janikowski

The Oakland Raiders selected placekicker Sebastian Janikowski with their 17th overall selection in 2000. He became the third kicker to be selected in the first round, but it's safe to say the move worked out well for the franchise. He went on to play 17 years with the Raiders, becoming their all-time leading scorer and setting records for most games played.

Sebastian Janikowski

Janikowski, who earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors in 2011, played his last season with the Seattle Seahawks in 2018 before retiring at the age of 41.

Lee Johnson

Punter Lee Johnson's NFL career lasted for 18 years. He spent 11 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals (1988-1998), setting the franchise punting record with 746 punts for 32,196 yards. Johnson played in Super Bowl XXIII, punting for 63 yards in that game, which was the NFL record at the time.

Lee Johnson

The punter played for five other NFL teams including the Houston Oilers, the Cleveland Browns, and the New England Patriots before retiring after the 2002 season at the age of 41 and later becoming a mountain cyclist.

Brett Favre

The Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre is still considered one of the best to play the game. After an underwhelming rookie season with the Atlanta Falcons, Favre was traded to the Packers in 1992 and he went on to have an impressive career that included three consecutive NFL MVP awards and a Super Bowl XXXI championship.

Brett Favre

Favre retired after the 2007 season before changing his mind and playing three more years, albeit with the New York Jets and the Minnesota Vikings. He retired for the second time at the age of 41.

Mark Brunell

One year after getting Favre, the Packers selected Mark Brunell to be his backup in the fifth round of the 1993 Draft. Brunell was in Green Bay for two seasons and was then traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars. He spent the following nine years in Jacksonville, becoming a franchise legend and leading them to two AFC Championship games.

Mark Brunell

Brunell left the Jaguars in 2004 to play for the Washington Redskins, the New Orleans Saints, and the New York Jets. He retired at the age of 41 after the 2012 NFL season.

Shane Lechler

Shane Lechler is widely regarded as one of the best punters in NFL history. He played 18 seasons with the Oakland Raiders and the Houston Texans, earning nine All-Pro honors and seven Pro Bowl selections. During his career, he led the NFL four times in punting yards.

Shane Lechler

Lechler last played in the NFL in 2017, but he didn't officially retire until a year later at the age of 42. He still holds the league record for best yards per punt average (47.6).

Jackie Slater

Legendary offensive tackle and Hall of Famer Jackie Slater not only played for 20 years in the NFL, but he also did that with just one franchise. Slater was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the third round of the 1976 NFL Draft and he played with them through the 1995 season before announcing his plans to retire at 41.

Jackie Slater

While with the Rams, he made seven Pro Bowls and was selected to Second-team All-Pro four times. His No. 78 jersey was retired by the Rams in 1996.

Originally published on our site foodisinthehouse.com