In the NFL, most shelf lives are short. But here’s a look at 10 players who have kicked Father Time’s ass.
1. Tom Brady, New England Patriots: The 38-year-old quarterback was once again a Pro Bowler with 36 touchdowns and only seven interceptions in 2015.
2. Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals: The 36-year-old was the NFL’s third highest-rated passer while leading all qualified quarterbacks with an 8.7 yards-per-attempt average in 2015.
3. Julius Peppers, Green Bay Packers: The 36-year-old pass-rusher had 10.5 sacks while making his ninth career Pro Bowl last season.
4. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints: The 37-year-old quarterback posted a 101.0 passer rating in 2015, which was the fifth-best of his career. He also went over 4,800 yards for the fifth straight year.
5. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys: The 36-year-old missed the majority of the 2015 campaign due to a shoulder injury, but he was the NFL’s highest-rated passer in 2015.
6. Eli Manning, New York Giants: The 35-year-old quarterback had the best season of his career in 2015, posting a career-high passer rating of 93.6 while throwing 35 touchdown passes.
7. Dwight Freeney, free agent: The 36-year-old pass-rusher had eight sacks in only 11 games last season with the Arizona Cardinals. Only a matter of time before he signs a one-year deal somewhere.
8. Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers: The 35-year-old tight end had 630 receiving yards despite missing five games last season.
9. James Harrison, Pittsburgh Steelers: The fierce 38-year-old linebacker is no longer a full-time player, but he had five sacks and a pick in 15 regular-season appearances last year.
10. Anquan Boldin, free agent: The 35-year-old receiver is only a year removed from a 1,000-yard season. And he caught a solid 69 passes for 789 yards while scoring four touchdowns last season.
