Eleven current NFL head coaches are younger than Aaron Rodgers, but how many can toss a perfect pass at practice?
The future Hall of Famer, who has thrown for the fifth-most yards and fourth-most touchdowns in NFL history, got compliments from his coaches and teammates this week. With Rodgers putting off retirement, add another career-defining number to his resume: 43.
It’s the age he will turn during the upcoming season.
When Rodgers suits up again for the Pittsburgh Steelers, he’ll be the sixth-oldest starting quarterback in NFL history after Tom Brady, Steve DeBerg, Vinny Testaverde, Philip Rivers and Warren Moon. Brady was 45 when he made his final start. The others were 44.
Father Time is undefeated in the NFL, with some QBs fading faster than others. But Mike McCarthy, who has known Rodgers for two decades, says the four-time MVP can still play.
The coach and quarterback reunited this week when the Steelers started their organized team activities at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.
“He still throws it,” McCarthy said. “He can throw it with anybody. He made sure we all saw that in the first practice. He still throws the ball extremely well. He’s moving. It’s his first practice, too, so he’s knocking the cobwebs off.”
One of Rodgers’ new pass-catchers agreed after practice.
“Even in the first day, he made a couple of great throws,” receiver Michael Pittman Jr. said. “And I’m, like, ‘Wow, I’m really playing with Aaron.’”
Rodgers looked rejuvenated at times last year in what was his 21st NFL season. He completed 65.7% of throws while passing for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. But he also has battled injury in recent years.
A torn Achilles tendon in the 2023 opener cost him an entire season with the Jets. He missed one game last season with a broken wrist but played through the injury to lead the Steelers to an AFC North title.
Rodgers said he delayed his decision to return or retire because he wanted to see how he felt physically.
“That was a big part of it,” Rodgers said. “I just wanted to see how I responded once we got into the offseason, at least a month or so, as my body started to recover. Obviously, I broke multiple bones in my arm and wrist, so I just want to see how that would heal up after not getting it wrapped and hit every single week.
“Then you got to see how you feel when you respond to working out, but I feel good. I’ve been training and staying in shape.”
What Rodgers is attempting at his age is rare, with the only real comparison being Brady. He can join Brady as the only QBs in NFL history to be full-time starters in the season they turned 43.
In 2020, Brady passed for 4,633 yards, 40 touchdowns and led Tampa Bay to a 11-5 record in his age-43 season. He played two more years and won a Super Bowl with the Bucs at age 44.
In his final season, a 45-year-old Brady made 17 starts. So, what Rodgers is hoping to accomplish this fall isn’t unprecedented.
In all, Brady passed for 14,632 yards and 108 touchdowns after turning 43. Yet, the four other starting quarterbacks who were older than Rodgers had all slowed by the time they reached their age-43 season.
In 2007, Testaverde made six starts in his final season after being a backup the year before. He completed 94 of 172 passes for 952 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions in his age-44 season.
Rivers ended a four-year retirement last season to start three games for the Colts. He completed 58 of 92 passes for 544 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions at 44.
Likewise, DeBerg had retired for four seasons before playing eight games with one start for Atlanta in 1998. The 44-year-old completed 30 of 59 passes for 369 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
A Hall of Famer, Moon made only one start over his final two seasons with the Chiefs. In 2000, he completed 15 of 34 passes for 208 yards, one touchdown and one interception at 44.
The oldest player to throw a pass in an NFL game was 48-year-old George Blanda for the Oakland Raiders in 1975. That’s a record Rodgers won’t be chasing.
Rodgers made it clear this upcoming season will be his last, capping a career that’ll surely earn him enshrinement in Canton.
“I get to play with another Hall of Fame quarterback,” said Pittman, who was acquired from the Colts via trade in March. “I got to play with Philip Rivers. I’m going to say he makes it. So, this is my second. It’s great.”