If you’ve ever been left out of something that you didn’t really want to be a part of in the first place, then maybe you’ll get this Detroit Lions story. Let’s start with the reality that NFL football is a young man’s sport. It’s rare to see players go into their 40s, with the exceptions being guys like Tom Brady, who retired from the NFL at 45 years old.
When a player is even over 30 and still playing in the NFL, they’re considered a true veteran. Now, Dalton Wasserman of PFF has a May 21 feature out naming the best NFL players over the age of 30 heading into the 2025 season.
“The NFL continues to see superstar talent enter the league at younger and younger ages,” Wasserman noted. “But there’s still plenty of room for the grizzled veterans to make a weekly impact.”
No Detroit Lions Made the Cut
In the feature, Wasserman names the 30 best NFL players over the age of 30. Nobody from the Detroit Lions’ squad made the cut, but that’s a good thing, because it shows that this team is still young and filled with promise for the future.
While there’s something to be said for having some great veterans at a team’s core, for a team like the Lions that’s really hoping to get better over the next few years, having young guys who are still not at their peak, and certainly not past it, is a great thing.
Wasserman’s pick for the No. 1 player over 30 in the NFL heading into 2025 is running back Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens. He’s 31, so he barely made the age cut.
“Henry’s age-30 season was nothing short of outstanding,” Wasserman stated, adding that it includes the postseason, where “he led the NFL with a 93.5 rushing grade and forced 89 missed tackles — both league-highs. He continued to wear down defenses with 3.6 yards after contact per attempt. Until there’s clear evidence of decline, Henry and Lamar Jackson will remain the NFL’s most dangerous backfield duo.”
The Best NFL Players Who Retired in Their 40s
So, what about those rare NFL players who rocked it in their 40s? The NFL has a feature out naming their favorite NFL player over 40 of all time as the legendary George Blanda, who retired in 1976 at the age of 48.
“Along the course of his storied 26-year career as a quarterback and kicker, George Blanda amassed a myriad of records, some better than others,” the NFL noted, adding, “Brett Favre was able to surpass Blanda’s record for the most interceptions all-time. If Blanda were alive today he’d likely be rooting for Mark Sanchez to overtake his other unsightly record – 42 interceptions … in a single season.”
Their pick for No. 2 was Doug Flutie, who retired at 43, calling him “a diminutive quarterback by NFL standards” and someone who “won the hearts of many with his gutsy performances and craftiness on the field. In the twilight of his career, Flutie even drop kicked a football for an extra points while playing for the New England Patriots, something that hadn’t been done since 1941.”
