Every NFL fan knows the phrase: Not For Long. Given the physicality of the sport, the pool of available talent, and the nature of the business, pro football careers don’t last as long as most players would hope.
No matter who you are, or how much you’ve accomplished, there’s always someone younger and just as talented ready to take your spot.
Every year, the NFL Draft introduces a new crop of young talent ready to compete for a roster spot. And whether you’re a first-round pick or an undrafted free agent, production is all that matters.
But how old is the average NFL player? With so much information floating around, I decided to analyze the data provided by Stathead to find out.
As of October 14th, 2024, the average age of all NFL players is 26.6 years old – or, a little over 26 years and 7 months old.
That’s about 7 months older than the typical NBA player, 2.12 years younger than the age of the average MLB player in 2024, and just a few months older than the average pro soccer player.
And yet, many NFL players are older, many are younger, and some position groups skew to the older side than others.
Here is a full position-by-position breakdown of the average age of all NFL players at every position.
- Average Age of NFL Quarterbacks
- Average Age of NFL Running Backs
- Average Age of NFL Wide Receivers
- Average Age of NFL Tight Ends
- Average Age of NFL Offensive Linemen
- Average Age of NFL Defensive Linemen
- Average Age of NFL Linebackers
- Average Age of NFL Defensive Backs
- Average Age of NFL Special Teamers
- FAQs About the Ages of NFL Players
Average Age of NFL Quarterbacks
The average age of an NFL quarterback is 28.4 years old.
This includes all signal-callers in the league, from starters to backups.
Contributing to the average age are several big-time QBs in the twilight of their careers: 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers (the league’s oldest quarterback), Joe Flacco (39), and journeyman Josh Johnson (38).
Rodgers is almost a full two decades older than 22-year-old Colts QB Anthony Richardson.
Average Age of NFL Running Backs
The average age of an NFL running back is 25.45 years old.
This should come as little surprise, as the league has devalued the running back position over the past decade.
We’ve seen fewer first-round picks used on halfbacks, fewer record-breaking contracts, and a ton of turnover across nearly every team each season.
As former NFL executive Joe Banner said in this breakdown, “If you let a running back go, the chances of replacing him with somebody just as good are very, very high.”
Only six active running backs are 30 or older, making up less than 5% of the position group league-wide.
Average Age of NFL Wide Receivers
The average age of an NFL wide receiver is 26.03 years old.
34-year-old Division 2 alum Adam Thielen – the league’s oldest wideout – is 13 years older than youthful newcomers Xavier Worthy and Malik Nabers.
Whenever a young receiver enters the league and earns a starting spot, he theoretically pushes out an aging veteran. At a position that values speed and separation, youth is precious.
Average Age of NFL Tight Ends
The average age of an NFL tight end is 26.7 years old.
Ageless wonder Marcedes Lewis is still hanging around at 40 years old, making him a complete outlier at the position and in the league as a whole.
Lewis was drafted by Jacksonville in 2006 when Ja’Tavion Sanders (the league’s youngest tight end) was just 3 years old.
The definition of a workhorse, the veteran pass-catcher played 49 games at UCLA before entering the league. He’s now taken the field in more than 272 NFL games over his 19-plus seasons in the league.
In that span, Lewis has caught 40 touchdowns from 8 different passers.
“At some point, I’m not gonna be able to do this,” he told teammate Cole Kmet, “it’s just not now.”
Average Age of NFL Offensive Linemen
The average age of an NFL offensive lineman is 26.64 years old.
11-time Pro Bowler Trent Williams is still holding it down at age 36, making him the oldest O-lineman in the league since Jason Kelce’s retirement.
Only 35 active offensive linemen are over the age of 30, making up just 11% of players at the position.
Without depth on the offensive line, it’s tough to move the ball and score points. So, teams prioritize locking down premium talent fresh out of college to protect their prized quarterbacks.
21-year-old tackles Joe Alt and Blake Fisher represent the latest group of early-round picks at the position.
Average Age of NFL Defensive Linemen
The average age of an NFL defensive lineman is 27.03 years old.
If you can stuff the run, and pressure the quarterback, you have your ticket to an elite defense. So it makes sense that this position group is full of elite run-stoppers and pass-rushers of all ages.
38-year-old Calais Campbell is the league’s oldest defensive tackle, while 36-year-old Brandon Graham is the oldest defensive end. The two are on the top percentile of age and accolades, with seven Pro Bowls and four All-Pro selections between them.
As a whole, only 21% of active D-linemen are 30 or older. Yet it’s still one of the older position groups in the league.
Average Age of NFL Linebackers
The average age of an NFL linebacker is 26.33 years old.
At 35 years old, Nick Bellore, Von Miller, and Demario Davis are the oldest linebackers in the league today.
34-year-old veterans Lavonte David and Bobby Wagner are not far behind.
This position group is middle of the road when it comes to age and average height.
Average Age of NFL Defensive Backs
The average age of an NFL defensive back is 25.93 years old.
Harrison Smith (35) is the league’s oldest safety, while Stephon Gilmore (34) is the oldest cornerback.
As one of the youngest position groups in football, teams see a lot of turnover from year to year at DB. There are many factors – speed, agility, physicality, and more – that contribute to the churn rate.
Once you lose a step, your days in the NFL are numbered. Cornerbacks see a rapid falloff once as they near their early 30s.
Only 31 of 366 active defensive backs are age 30 or older.
Average Age of NFL Special Teamers
We grouped special teamers into three buckets: long snappers, kickers, and punters. Of course, there are gunners, jammers, return specialists, and more, but those players are typically listed under their primary position group.
- The average age of an NFL long snapper is 30.65 years old.
- The average age of an NFL kicker is 29.02 years old.
- The average age of an NFL punter is 28.51 years old.
Kickers Nick Folk and Matt Prater are tied for the title of oldest special teamer at 40 years old. Long snappers Morgan Cox and J.J. Jansen aren’t far behind at age 38.
FAQs About the Ages of NFL Players
That would be 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who was born on December 2nd, 1983.
Rodgers’ 20-year-old teammate Braelon Allen is the youngest player in the league. He was born on January 20th, 2004, right after Rodgers’ final year of college football at Cal.
Including all players who have played at least one game in 2024 (as of October 14th, 2024), there are 1,847 players in the NFL right now. But when it comes to the 53-man roster across 32 teams, there are only 1,696 active players at any given time.
Long snapper, at an average of 30.65 years old. As Philadelphia’s Rick Lovato once said, “Long snappers sometimes have to wait three or four years or longer before they get their chance. You have to be patient.”
Running back is the youngest position group in the NFL today (25.45 years old). Only six active running backs are 30 or older, making up less than 5% of the position group league-wide.
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