Favre has rare staying power

ENGLEWOOD • Brett Favre had three NFL MVP awards and a Super Bowl championship by the time he was 28 years old. By now, Favre should have been home in Mississippi waiting for the Pro Football Hall of Fame to call.

Instead, Favre has added to his legacy by continuing to play - and play well - at age 39. He has led the New York Jets to an 8-3 record as they prepare to face the Denver Broncos this week.

"I've seen Brett for a long time, and I really think he might be playing better than I've ever seen him," said Broncos defensive coordinator Bob Slowik, who was an assistant with Green Bay from 2000-04 when Favre was with the Packers.

Football is a young man's game, and the Broncos' roster is proof. Of the 53 players on Denver's roster, 40 are younger than 30 years old. Only one player - 35-year-old center Casey Wiegmann - is older than 32.

Defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban, who is Denver's second-oldest active player, hadn't even started playing football when Favre was in his first NFL season. Ekuban was a freshman in high school in 1991, Favre's first season with Atlanta, and didn't take up football until two years later.

If Favre plays another year, he will accomplish another rare feat. According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Web site, only 48 players have played into their 40s. Among that group, 16 played kicker or punter exclusively.

Although many players would like to play as long as they can, making it to 40 seems impossible.

"Oh, no, I'm not going to play until I'm 40," said 33-year-old running back Michael Pittman, who doubled over in laughter at the thought.

"There's no way," Wiegmann said.

"I can't even imagine that, I'm not trying to play until I'm 39," cornerback Dre Bly said.

"Absolutely not," Ekuban said. "I think my wife would kick my butt if I came home and told her I wanted to play until I was 40."

Favre was second in the MVP voting last year and with the Jets playing so well, he is a legitimate MVP candidate again this season. He has 2,461 yards, tied for 10th in the NFL, and is fourth in the league with 20 touchdowns. He is the only quarterback who has completed more than 70 percent of his passes.

Slowik had no idea how to account for Favre's longevity.

"Genetics, I guess? A freak?" Slowik said. "He never seems to age, when it comes to that arm. I don't see a whole lot of drop-off."

Favre's retirement has been an issue every year since early this decade, and he announced his retirement this offseason before a well-publicized comeback. Favre said he wouldn't have come back if he didn't still enjoy the game.

"You realize you're playing game to game and your focus is so much different than it was as a younger player," Favre said during his press conference last week, which is archived on the Jets' Web site. "You appreciate the moment a lot more because you realize it won't be there forever.

"When you're 22 years old you're looking for your new contract, you're looking for commercials, you're looking for whatever. You always say you're on scholarship still. When you get older all you want to do is win, get by and go onto the next game, and win.
It's amazing how you change."

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Contact the writer: 476-4891 or frank.schwab@gazette.com. Check out our Broncos blog at gazettebroncos.freedomblogging.com


OLDIES BUT GOODIES

George Blanda

Blanda is the standard bearer for defying age in the NFL. He played for a record 26 seasons, from his rookie season of 1949 to his last year of 1975. He was mostly a kicker in his 40s but occasionally stepped back into his old role of quarterback. He threw a touchdown pass in 1974 at age 47. He is the only person to play in the NFL at age 48.

Jerry Rice

The greatest receiver ever was pretty good late in his career. He had a 1,211-yard season at age 40 with Oakland. During his final stop with Seattle he had an eight-catch, 145-yard game on a Monday night against Dallas at 42 years old.

Jackie Slater

Playing offensive tackle in the NFL is difficult, and Slater did it for 20 seasons with the Rams. His last game was in 1995, at age 41, and he was later elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Morten Andersen

Many kickers and punters can play for a long time, but Andersen deserves special mention. He played 25 seasons and last year, at age 47, hit 25 of 28 field goals for Atlanta.

Darrell Green

Green amazed people with his speed when he got into the NFL, and hadn't lost much of it by the time he hit 40. The Hall of Famer started four games at cornerback in 2002 at the age of 42.

Warren Moon

At age 41, Moon became the oldest Pro Bowl player after his 1997 season with Seattle. He started one game for Kansas City at 44.

Bruce and Clay Matthews

There is something in the Matthews' genes. Linebacker Clay and bother Bruce, a Hall of Fame offensive lineman, each played 19 seasons, hanging around until they were 40.