The Oldest NFL Quarterbacks Now Are Also Some of the Most Successful

Football's a pretty unforgiving sport with the average career length for an NFL player, on average, lasting about 3.3 years. Now this is an aggregate of all positions for the league and different spots on the roster ultimately have shorter lifespans than others. Wide receivers, for instance, usually have career spans that last anywhere from 2-2.5 years. But quarterbacks can go on and on and on in comparison, it seems. So who's the oldest QB in the NFL now?

That's right, the 199th overall selection for the New England Patriots is one of the most beloved/hated players to have ever graced the world of American football. No one expected Tom Brady to become the powerhouse of ball throwing that he is today. With six Super Bowl championship wins under his belt with the Pats, many people thought that Tom would look to go for the franchise record with coach Bill Belichick.

However, Tom must have wanted to do what most folks with a little bit of money who are tired of the cold do once they're officially past being middle age: He moved himself and his family to Florida. Tom signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and his old pal, former Pats tight-end Rob Gronkowski, decided to join him. At the start of the season there were a lot of doubts as to whether or not the Tom and Rob connection could recreate their Masshole Magic in the Sunshine State.

But with a series of impressive wins and the second best record in the AFC South behind the always formidable New Orleans Saints, there's a good chance that Brady and Bucs could go all the way to a Super Bowl.

Which is no small feat, considering that Tom's the oldest QB in the NFL to date, born in 1977. He's known to take his health and fitness very seriously — with a dedicated exercise regimen and vegan diet, Tom's defying the age odds.

He's also stated that he wants to play until he's 45 years old (he's 43 as of this writing), so there's a good chance we've got at least a couple more seasons of seeing the man in action. Who would've thought that the 22-year-old `young man wearing these sweat shorts at the 2000 NFL combine would end up becoming one of the greatest to ever play the sport?

There are other QBs who are getting up there in age as well — like Drew Brees. Born on Jan. 15, 1979, Brees has won a Super Bowl with the Saints and has proven to be a consistent play maker for his Louisiana-based squad after leaving the Chargers (the team to which he was drafted) after just one season.

It's possible that the 2020-2021 season is the last one for Brees, too. The same could be said for Philip Rivers, who was born in 1981, and "Big" Ben Roethlisberger who came into this world a year later.

Here's the list of all playoff QBs and their ages for the 2020-2021 NFL season:

• Tom Brady: 43
• Drew Brees: 41
• Philip Rivers: 39
• Ben Roethlisberger: 38
• Aaron Rodgers: 37
• Alex Smith: 36
• Russell Wilson: 32
• Ryan Tannehill: 32
• Jared Goff: 26
• Mitchell Trubisky: 26
• Patrick Mahomes: 25
• Baker Mayfield: 25
• Lamar Jackson: 24
• Josh Allen: 24

Filling in for the Washington Football Team's injured Alex Smith, Taylor Heinicke completed 26 of 44 passes after being out for two years. He ran for a touchdown and scored, suffering an AC joint separation in his left shoulder.

He received glowing praises from his teammates despite the fact that they lost 31-23 to the Bucs.

Washington tackle, Morgan Moses, said, "The way he carries himself, he's a true pro. I can't tell you why he was on the street before we picked him up. He has every quality of a player you want. I'm just glad we got him. No words to explain the performance that he had today. He stepped up on a big-time stage, and I commend him for that."

Washington brought Heinicke on the team in December 2020, while he was taking four math courses at Old Dominion University. Heinicke is currently a free agent, but many are hoping that his performance against the Bucs will help land him another NFL contract.