The oldest player in NFL history was George Blanda, who played until age 48, making him the oldest person ever to appear in an NFL game. He played 26 seasons as both a quarterback and kicker, a career that spanned four different decades and set longevity records that still stand.

Oldest player overview

  • George Blanda retired just shy of his 49th birthday after a final season in 1975 with the Oakland Raiders, cementing his status as the oldest NFL player ever.
  • He appeared in his last NFL game at age 48 during the 1975 season (AFC Championship played January 1976), a mark no other player has surpassed.

Other notably old NFL players

  • Several kickers came close to Blanda’s mark, including Morten Andersen and Adam Vinatieri, who both played to age 47 but still fell short of Blanda’s record.
  • Tom Brady, often discussed in modern “who was the oldest player in the NFL” debates, played to age 45, which ranks him among the oldest but still below Blanda’s all‑time record.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.