What should we expect from Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers in his age-41 season?

Aaron Rodgers is coming again for an additional season within the NFL. The longer term Corridor of Famer officially agreed to phrases on a one-year take care of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, and can take part in minicamp subsequent week.

Though Rodgers’ free company dragged on for 3 months, it was anticipated that he would ultimately find yourself in Pittsburgh. Nevertheless, he left the door open for retirement earlier within the offseason and would not assure a return to enjoying.

Now that he is agreed to phrases, Rodgers will placed on the pads for his twenty first NFL season. He might be 41 when the season opens and can flip 42 in December, making him one of many oldest quarterbacks in NFL historical past.

The New York Jets opted out of the Rodgers enterprise following an underwhelming 2024 season, by which he threw for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions with a 90.5 passer ranking. New York went 5-12, falling effectively in need of their playoff expectations.

Pittsburgh is betting that Rodgers will delay a two-year playoff streak in 2025, signing him after letting Russell Wilson and Justin Fields stroll in free company. Is {that a} sensible guess by the Steelers? Properly, historical past is not too sort to the vast majority of quarterbacks who performed at age 41. Let’s check out how different notable quarterbacks did of their age-41 season. 

George Blanda (1968)

Common season stats: 61.2 completion proportion, 522 passing yards, six passing touchdowns, two interceptions, 120.1 passer ranking

No participant in NFL historical past has had an extended profession than Blanda, who performed for 26 seasons earlier than retiring at age 48. In his age-41 season, Blanda was principally utilized by the Raiders as a kicker however nonetheless received time at quarterback. He began one sport — midseason in opposition to the Denver Broncos with Ken Stabler out, throwing for 4 touchdowns within the win. As he backed up Stabler within the different 13 video games, Blanda’s 61.8 made discipline objective proportion was the fourth-best within the AFL, which helped the Raiders attain the Tremendous Bowl.

Earl Morrall (1975)

Common season stats: 60.5 completion proportion, 273 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, two interceptions, 82.8 passer ranking

Morrall served as one of many backups to Bob Griese with the Miami Dolphins at age 41 within the 1975 season, making one begin that yr and main the Dolphins to a late-season win. That begin made him the oldest quarterback to start out a sport in NFL historical past on the time. 

Warren Moon (1997)

Common season stats: 59.3 completion proportion, 3,678 passing yards, 25 passing touchdowns, 16 interceptions, 83.7 passer ranking

Even at 41, Moon was nonetheless one of many sport’s most prolific passers. In his first season with the Seattle Seahawks, he led the league in passing yards per sport (245.2), which earned him a Professional Bowl nod. Seattle went 7-7 within the 14 video games Moon began that yr, lacking the playoffs by a sport at 8-8. 

At age 41, Warren Moon was a Professional Bowler in his first season with the Seahawks. (Photograph by Sporting Information by way of Getty Pictures/Sporting Information by way of Getty Pictures by way of Getty Pictures)

Doug Flutie (2003)

Common season stats: 54.5 completion proportion, 1,097 passing yards, 9 passing touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 82.8 passer ranking

After spending eight seasons within the CFL through the Nineteen Nineties, Flutie returned to the NFL in his age-36 season in 1998. He received Comeback Participant of the 12 months with the Buffalo Bills that season earlier than his play dipped within the following years. However he was adequate to stay on the Chargers‘ roster at 41 for the 2003 season, backing up Drew Brees. Nevertheless, Flutie changed the struggling Brees for 5 begins in the course of that season, going 2-3. He rushed for 2 touchdowns in a kind of video games, turning into the primary participant over 40 to perform that in a sport. 

Vinny Testaverde (2004)

Common season stats: 60 completion proportion, 3,532 passing yards, 17 passing touchdowns, 20 interceptions, 76.4 passer ranking

Testaverde reunited together with his former coach, Invoice Parcells, and joined the Dallas Cowboys for the 2004 season. He was initially anticipated to be a backup in Dallas, however Testaverde wound up turning into the Cowboys’ Week 1 starter as a result of Quincy Carter received launched following a failed drug take a look at. Parcells and Testaverde did not have the identical success they’d of their one full season collectively as a quarterback-head coach duo with the New York Jets, going 6-10 as Testaverde’s 20 interceptions led the league. Nevertheless, Testaverde was credited later for serving to develop Tony Romo earlier than he turned the franchise’s cornerstone.

Brett Favre (2010)

Common season stats: 60.6 completion proportion, 2,509 passing yards, 11 passing touchdowns, 19 interceptions, 69.9 passer ranking

Many have in contrast Rodgers’ current seasons to the late years of Favre’s profession, however Rodgers higher hope his age-41 season would not replicate Favre’s. In his second yr with the Minnesota Vikings, Favre had a depressing age-41 season as he handled a number of accidents. An AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder brought on Favre’s streak of consecutive video games performed to finish at 321 (together with postseason video games), and he was unable to play in his last NFL sport because of a concussion. These well being points, plus a dip in manufacturing, brought on the Vikings to go 6-10 and miss the postseason after reaching the NFC Championship Recreation the yr prior.

The 2010 season was Brett Favre’s final within the NFL. (Photograph by Tom Dahlin /Sports activities Illustrated by way of Getty Pictures) 

Mark Brunell (2011)

Common season stats: Accomplished 1 of three passes for 27 yards

Brunell’s age-41 season was his final, serving as Mark Sanchez’s backup for a second straight yr with the Jets. 

Tom Brady (2017)

Common season stats: 65.8 completion proportion, 4,355 passing yards, 29 passing touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 97.7 passer ranking
Postseason stats: 68 completion proportion, 953 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, three interceptions, 85.8 passer ranking (three video games; Tremendous Bowl victory)

Brady turned the gold commonplace for longevity within the NFL. He received two Tremendous Bowls after turning 40, together with one in his age-41 season. Whereas he did not publish the best stats in New England’s postseason run that yr, Brady helped the Patriots put up 78 factors of their first two playoff video games. At age 41, Brady completed seventh in passing yards and received a Tremendous Bowl. 

Tom Brady led the Patriots to win over the Rams in Tremendous Bowl LIII at age 41. (Photograph by Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Pictures)

Drew Brees (2020)

Common season stats: 70.5 completion proportion, 2,942 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, six interceptions, 106.4 passer ranking
Postseason stats: 64.4 completion proportion, 399 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, three interceptions, 75.1 passer ranking (two video games; eradicated in NFC Divisional Spherical)

Brees had a decent stat line in his 41-year-old season, which was adequate to assist the New Orleans Saints win the NFC South for a fourth straight season. Nevertheless, he missed 4 video games that yr due to a collapsed lung and a number of damaged ribs. When he returned from the accidents later within the yr, Brees was nonetheless productive, however his passes appeared to lack the identical zip. He wound up throwing three interceptions in his last sport, a loss to Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

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