With seasoned players like Tom Brady still setting records on the football field long after their freshman years — Brady recently became the oldest NFL player to score a touchdown, at age 43 — you might be wondering who’s the oldest player in NFL history. As Athlon Sports notes, that honor belongs to former Chicago Bears quarterback George Blanda, who played football professionally until he was 48 years, three months, and 18 days old.

Britannica tells us that George Blanda was born September 17, 1927, in Youngwood, Pennsylvania, and he began his career in the NFL in 1949 when he was drafted by the Chicago Bears. According to Fox News, he went on to play in 340 games over 26 seasons, making him the longest serving active player in NFL history. Blanda also has three AFL titles under his belt, he’s among the handful of quarterbacks who are tied for having made the most touchdown passes in a game (seven TDs), and he was the NFL’s Man of the Year in 1974.

The NFL's oldest player had many achievements

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