What are the NFL QB ages? They say the NFL is a young man’s game! Clubs are now drafting Younger quarterbacks for good reasons. They know these young players will stick around much longer before retiring. In addition, Younger Players can develop and become stars in their respective clubs. 

Age is gradually becoming more than a number in the NFL. Kerry Rhodes and Michael Turner have been free agents for several months. And these players aren’t even close to Jason Hanson’s age, who, by the way, retired recently.

While Rhodes is 30, Turner is 31. On the other hand, Hanson retired at 43.

So, what are the ages of NFL quarterbacks? Continue reading for more!

What Is The Prime Age of Quarterbacks?

QBs peak at age 29. But then, the five-year period, which is between 26 – 30, is called the prime of a quarterback, career-wise. However, things are different for elite quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. The curve for both QBs is much flatter. 

Here is an important thing you need to know about quarterbacks concerning age. Understand that how a QB plays when he’s 24 might only represent 40 percent of the value he’ll deliver once he reaches his peak.

A good example is Alex Smith. He turned 29 in 2013. Smith averaged 6.1 NY/A and 5.6 ANY/A in 2010. Now guess what his age was. He was just 26.

The statistics Smith pulled in 2011 were similar to what he had in 2010. It was fortunate for him that San Francisco gave away 22.4 points per game in Smith’s ten starts in 2010 and 14.3 in 2011.

In 2011, he had a far better interception rate. But, overall, his performance in 2010, when he turned 26, was much better.

Expect a passer who’s average at 26 to be slightly above average when he turns 29. In a study, one-seventh of the QBs in this age group performed their best in the season.

Here are some of the names;

• Neil O’Donnell
• Mark Rypien
• Ron Jaworski
• Kordell Stewart
• Ken Stabler
• Troy Aikman
• Marc Bulger
• Gary Danielson
• Archie Manning

These stars were the best in the season as they entered their peak years.

Elvis Grbac had his best season at 30 years of age. Unfortunately, the 49er-turned-chef struggled when he turned 31 with the Ravens.

Elvis Grbac’s career ended earlier than he would have expected. He was released by Baltimore and decided that retirement was the best option.

A Handy Tip: Like Elvis Grbac, not every player will perform at their peak as they age. Grbac played for nine seasons and had his best season at age 30. But at 31, he became a shadow of himself.

There are quarterbacks his age that are performing better. So, how players perform as they age differs from player to player.    

Does Age Matter In The NFL?

Age is a number when it comes to relationships. But in the NFL, age isn’t just a number for the draft. When you check the data on a scouting report, age is a significant difference in predicting NFL outcomes.

So, the younger you are, the better. Teams would prefer to draft younger players than focus on older ones. Kerry Michael is only 30 years old and has been a free agent for months. If he was ten years younger, would he have been out of a job this long?

The answer is obvious: he would have been playing the game he loves, week in, week out. Teams are pushing to draft younger players. Older players need to prove they have better value than younger quarterbacks.

Let’s visit the 2016 data on NFL Draft.

You can see from the table above that the NFL prefers younger players. The younger players were drafted more often than the older ones.

The number of times the older players were drafted declined as they grew older. You can see that in the table presented above.

There are several reasons teams prefer to draft younger players. One is that younger players have the time to improve and will continue improving as they grow older.

The decision on fielding players based on age differs from team to team. In some teams, older players get picked. Despite being among the oldest QB prospects, Joe Burrow was the No. 1 pick.

The reason Joe Burrow got picked remains puzzling. It could be because he’s a cool guy. Burrow got outplayed by Justin Herbert, who was a much younger prospect.

So, Joe Burrow is too old for a rookie quarterback. But then, he was lucky. The NFL got more age-obsessed in the second round of 2022, as much younger players were drafted. A record 21 – 22 years-olds were drafted.

 NFL Quarterback Ages You Should Know

How old are NFL QBs? From Tom Brady to Trey Lance, here is how old NFL QBs are in 2022.

• Tom Brady:  45 years old.
• Aaron Rodgers:  39 years old.
• Matt Ryan:  37 years old.
• Joe Flacco:  37 years old.
• Brian Hoyer:  37 years old.
• Andy Dalton:  35 years old.
• Matthew Stafford:  34 years old.
• Russell Wilson:  34 years old.
• Kirk Cousins:  34 years old.
• Ryan Tannehill:  34 years old.
• Geno Smith:  32 years old.
• Derek Carr:  31 years old.
• Jimmy Garoppolo:  31 years old.
• Carson Wentz:  30 years old.
• Jacoby Brissett:  30 years old.
• Teddy Bridgewater:  30 years old.
• Dak Prescott:  29 years old.
• Marcus Mariota:  29 years old.
• Cooper Rush:  29 years old.
• Jared Goff:  28 years old.
• Jameis Winston:  28 years old.
• Mitchell Trubisky:  28 years old.
• Patrick Mahomes:  27 years old.
• Baker Mayfield:  27 years old.
• Deshaun Watson:  27 years old.
• Davis Webb:  27 years old.
• Josh Allen:  26 years old.
• Joe Burrow:  26 years old.
• Lamar Jackson:  25 years old.
• Kyler Murray:  25 years old.
• Daniel Jones:  25 years old.
• Justin Herbert:  24 years old.
• Jalen Hurts:  24 years old.
• Tua Tagovailoa:  24 years old.
• Kenny Pickett:  24 years old.
• Davis Mills:  24 years old.
• Mac Jones:  24 years old.
• Trevor Lawrence:  23 years old.
• Justin Fields:  23 years old.
• Zach Wilson:  23 years old.
• Bailey Zappe:  23 years old.
• Trey Lance:  22 years old.

What’s your observation from the NFL QB ages listed above?

First, the median age is 28, and the mean is 29. This means QBs like Davis Webb, Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield, and Deshaun Watson are on the younger side.

Trey Lance is the youngest QB, at 22. He’ll be 23 in 2023 and would have amassed three years of experience in the game.

Tom Brady is the oldest QB on the list. The age gap between him and Trey Lance (the youngest QB on the list) is 23.

In addition, the 24 year olds top the list. They are more in number than any other age group.

Joe Burrow is 26 years old and older than Lamar Jackson. However, everyone knows Burrow is rapidly declining. So, there’s no point in comparing him with the top guys in the NFL.

NFL Playoffs: How Old Are The Quarterbacks?

The 2023 NFL Playoffs featured players we didn’t expect would continue with their respective teams. The games featured Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, Brock Purdy, and Patrick Mahomes.

People can talk about the ages of NFL QBs because many feel age impacts performance. However, remember that Tom Brady is 45 and plays at a professional level.

The younger generation is springing up and giving teams plenty of reasons why older quarterbacks shouldn’t take their places. These younger players have captured the league.

The younger players had a good game in the playoffs. Unfortunately, we can’t say the same for the older ones.

The young movement for QBs has come to stay. The movement has been impressive to see both from the players and the coaches.

Quickly, let’s run through the ages of quarterbacks featuring in the playoffs.

How Old Is Eagles Quarterback – Jalen Hurts?

Jalen Hurts is just 24 years old and had a long college career. But despite this, he was young enough to feature in his first draft class. The former Alabama and Oklahoma QB star was 21 when he was drafted in 2020.

Hurts was a Day 2 pick in the Eagles’ team and hasn’t let go of the QB position. He has taken firm hold of it by impressing the coaches and teammates.

How Old Is Bengals Quarterback – Joe Burrow?

Burrow is 26 years old and only in his third NFL season. He ranks as the second oldest signal-caller to play in the conference championships.

Burrow was a national champion with his former team, the Tigers. Many may disagree because of his age, but the quarterback had a long college career, a reason he’s only in his third season and already 27.

How Old Is 49ers Quarterback – Brock Purdy?

Purdy is a rookie for the 49ers, and he’s only 23. He’s one of the quarterbacks to watch in the playoffs.

Purdy has had some level of experience that works in his favor. He had a whopping four-year career playing as a quarterback for Iowa State before gaining entry to the draft and being taken away with the last pick.

Injuries to Garoppolo and Lance paved the way for Purdy to make the quarterback his own. And he has been quite impressive in the position.

How Old Is Chiefs Quarterback – Patrick Mahomes?

Mahomes will be 27 years old in 2023 and follows Joe Burrow in the old quarterback category. But this time, Mahomes’ age counts for nothing, as he delivers when called upon.

He’s one of the greatest QB ever to play the game. He was 21 when the Chiefs picked him 10th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, so he has been with them for six years. 

Quarterbacks Eliminated from the NFL Playoffs: What Are Their Ages?

There were 10 QBs in the NFL Playoffs that didn’t make the conference championships.

Below, you’ll find their names and ages. Note that this report is for the 2023 season.

• Tom Brady:  Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 45 years old
• Dak Prescott: Dallas Cowboys – 29 years old
• Josh Allen: Buffalo Bills 26 years old
• Kirk Cousins: Minnesota Vikings – 34 years old
• Justin Herbert: Los Angeles Chargers – 24 years old
• Tyler Huntley: Baltimore Ravens – 24 years old
• Daniel Jones: New York Giants – 25 years old
• Trevor Lawrence: Jacksonville Jaguars – 23 years old
• Geno Smith: Seattle Seahawks – 32 years old
• Tua Tagovailoa: Miami Dolphins – 24 years old

Conclusion

We have provided information on NFL QBs ages. Tom Brady remains the oldest QB and still plays the game. However, times are changing. The younger ones are coming. 

There is a movement of young quarterbacks that is sweeping the NFL. Most teams now prefer to draft younger players, as they have the opportunity to improve and develop into valuable players.

Some older quarterbacks have shown the NFL what they can do. They have demonstrated that age is only a number. Players like Patrick Mahomes have impressed, though he’s 27 years old.

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