Young talent on both sides of the ball might be taking the league by storm, but some of the league’s oldest veterans are still among the very best players in the NFL.
With Pro Football Network’s recently-released NFL Top 100 List, let’s take a look at the players over 35 years old who made the cut and which long-time veteran was ranked the highest.
Players Over 35 Years Old in PFN’s NFL Top 100
1) Trent Williams, OT, San Francisco 49ers (10th)
Although he’s 36 years old and just wrapped up his 13th pro campaign, Trent Williams remains the best offensive tackle in the NFL. With 10 consecutive Pro Bowl berths and three straight first-team All-Pro nods under his belt, Williams has built a Hall of Fame résumé.
Williams is still the most physically dominant left tackle in football, and his ability to wash out blockers allows the San Francisco 49ers to deploy a creative run attack.
2) Demario Davis, LB, New Orleans Saints (45th)
A late bloomer in the NFL, Demario Davis has become a genuine force since signing with the New Orleans Saints in 2018.
While he’s entering his age-35 campaign, Davis is still among the most productive linebackers in the league. He’s received a first- or second-team All-Pro nod in five consecutive seasons and has been named a Pro Bowler the last two. His 6.5 sacks in 2023 ranked second among off-ball linebackers.
3) Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams (52nd)
Matthew Stafford looked cooked in 2022 but recovered for an exceptional 2023 campaign with the upstart Rams. He ranked second in PFF’s big-time throw rate while posting the fourth-best turnover-worthy play rate, a deadly combination that earned Stafford the second Pro Bowl nod of his career.
Injuries will be a concern as he ages, but Stafford is one of the toughest players in the NFL.
4) Aaron Rodgers, QB, New York Jets (80th)
Trying to predict how Aaron Rodgers will perform in 2024 is almost impossible. While he won back-to-back MVPs as recently as 2020 and 2021, Rodgers is now 40 years old, coming off a torn Achilles, and still trying to get his New York Jets stint off the ground.
MORE: Try PFN’s 2024 NFL Playoff Predictor
The talent is probably still there, but Rodgers’s myriad question marks – punctuated by his mercurial personality and odd offseason – make the legendary QB a total mystery.
5) Cameron Heyward, DT, Pittsburgh Steelers (98th)
Cameron Heyward finally showed signs of aging in 2023, as he missed six games and posted just two sacks, his fewest since 2012.
However, when healthy, the 35-year-old is still an effective pass rusher and stout against the run. Heyward totaled 20.5 sacks from 2021 to 2022 and has earned four All-Pro nods since 2017.
