As Aaron Rodgers enters his final NFL season, he has a chance to reach several notable milestones. He already holds records for touchdown/interception ratio and passer rating, and is tied for the best career passer rating. Rodgers is also on the verge of joining an elite group of quarterbacks with over 70,000 career passing yards, needing 3,726 yards to do so. Despite an Achilles injury in 2023 that likely ended his chance to pass Brett Favre on the all-time passing list, Rodgers is still poised to achieve significant career statistical achievements in his final year
The Colts haven’t found a trade partner for fourth-year quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. They possibly won’t be looking for one. Via Stephen Holder of ESPN, Colts assistant G.M. Ed Dodds suggested on Sunday that the team will keep Richardson for the 2026 season, the last of his guaranteed rookie deal. “I think you take care of your own team first,” Dodds said. “We want to have three [quarterbacks] that can play. So, if [Richardson] is one of them, he’s going to be here. . . . Look at last year. You never know.” Last year, starter Daniel Jones suffered a torn Achilles tendon. Richardson wasn’t available, due to an orbital bone fracture suffered in a freak locker-room accident with an exercise band. In lieu of letting rookie Riley Leonard finish the year, the Colts cajoled Philip Rivers into returning after more than four seasons of retirement. Richardson, the fourth overall pick in 2023, has already earned a training-camp roster bonus of $4.24 million. He has a guaranteed base salary of $1.145 million for 2026. That’s very cheap, as quarterbacks go. Why not keep him around? The Colts ultimately may need him. And if he gets a chance to play, he’ll have every reason to deliver — he’s due to be a free agent in March
The fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft is in danger of landing third on the Indianapolis depth chart. Although the widespread social-media buzz that quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. already has been demoted to No. 3 behind Daniel Jones and Riley Leonard may be premature , at a minimum he’s still competing with Leonard for the QB2 slot. An offseason effort by Richardson and the Colts to find a trade partner went nowhere. With his 2026 compensation ($5.385 million) fully guaranteed, the Colts have no reason to cut him, since they’ll still be paying him. (At most, they’d save $1.145 million if/when he signs elsewhere for the fourth-year minimum salary.) Even if there’s no trade to be done for now, one injury elsewhere could be the spark. Likewise, an injury to Jones or Leonard would elevate his importance to the Colts. That’s why the Colts intend to keep all three into the regular season. With the trade deadline landing the Tuesday after Week 9, there’s still a chance that the Colts could get something of value in return for what has been a failed first-round pick. Richardson entered the NFL as a highly-talented prospect with limited college reps. In three seasons, he has 16 regular-season appearances with 14 starts. The preseason looms large for Richardson. If he performs well, that could generate interest in a trade. At a minimum, it could move him higher on the list of available options if/when a team loses its starter or backup due to injury. For now, the point is this — one year after Richardson lost the starting job in camp to Jones, Richardson could be losing the backup job to Leonard, whose chance to replace Jones as the starter in December was short-circuited by the unretirement of Philip Rivers
Daniel Jones is one of several key players coming back from a season-ending injury, and it sounds like his rehab is going just about as well -- and likely even better -- than anyone could have expected. Speaking on "The Pat McAfee Show," Jones said he expects to be "full go" when the Colts open training camp Wednesday, fewer than eight months after tearing his Achilles tendon -- a remarkable feat. "I'm feeling good," Jones said. "Plan is to be back in 11-on-11 full-team drills Wednesday when we start up practice, so be out there with the guys, excited to get back rolling. But feeling good, and rehab's been good to this point -- still some work to do as we get ready for Week 1 -- but feeling really good with where I am." Jones tore his right Achilles Dec. 7 in an eventual Week 14 loss to the Jaguars . At that point, he had been playing through a fracture in his left fibula for several weeks. The Colts were 8-2 entering their bye when the Jones injuries began to pile up. With a hobbled Jones, they lost in Week 12 to the Chiefs and Week 13 to the Jaguars. Jones' Week 14 Achilles tear forced the Colts to turn to rookie Riley Leonard and then 44-year-old Philip Rivers , who had been retired for over four years. The Colts finished 8-9, losing their final seven games. Jones was set to play on the rarely used transition tag this season before agreeing to a two-year, $88 million deal with Indianapolis shortly into free agency. Jones originally joined the Colts on a one-year, $14 million deal to battle Anthony Richardson for the starting spot. Not only did Jones win that battle, but he was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL through 10 weeks, ranking ... As Jones mentioned, there is still a long way to go between now and Week 1, not only in terms of his recovery but also in terms of his ability to play at his previous level. "I think you're constantly evaluating it; it's hard not to compare it [to your previous self]," Jones said. "I think I'm in a really good spot. I can do everything. There's nothing that I can't do. I think there's still that last little bit that you're working to get back, but I feel good in the next month or so as I get into team drills, 11-on-11, doing everything again with that coming back and feeling 100%." Other quarterbacks, such as Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers, have struggled after returning from Achilles tears, but it should be noted that both injuries occurred much later in their careers. Jones is only 29. Still, his comfort working from under center -- as well as how the Colts manage his workload the next few weeks -- will be worth monitoring. The Colts open their season Sept. 13 against the Ravens in Indianapolis
The Los Angeles Rams must feel pretty good about the success of their monumental 2021 trade that swapped Jared Goff and a cache of picks for Matthew Stafford. The move resulted in a Super Bowl championship at the team’s home in SoFi Stadium. Years later Stafford is finding new heights in his career. He just put a bow on his most productive season yet and earned the NFL’s Most Valuable Player honors. Even with things going so well, the Rams understand quarterback is the most important position in football. Stafford’s career continuation is on a year-to-year basis. He could easily decide to call it quits after 2026. LA decided now is the time to prepare for the future. They drafted Ty Simpson with the thirteenth overall pick earlier this spring. There is plenty of time to discern what Simpson brings to the table and whether he’s someone that the Rams can be trusted with the keys as soon as 2027. As training camp approaches, now seems like a good moment to ponder on Simpson’s NFL ceiling. For as good as Stafford is, could Simpson one day surpass him? For most of Stafford’s NFL tenure, he was often the 8th to 12th best quarterback in the league. Many in front of him have hung up their cleats: Peyton Manning , Tom Brady , Drew Brees , Matt Ryan , Philip Rivers , Ben Roethlisberger , Eli Manning , Andrew Luck , and others. The league’s new elite quarterbacks are stylistically very different from those who have come before. There is a significant difference in the way they play the game from what makes Stafford successful. I’m thinking of Patrick Mahomes , Josh Allen , Lamar Jackson , Joe Burrow , Drake Maye , Caleb Williams , Jordan Love , and more. The NFL is in good hands with this emerging crop. But modern professional football almost requires quarterbacks to be able to win with their legs. You can get by with a savvy pocket passer, although in short-yardage and goal line situations you may be leaving meat on the bone if your signal caller can’t pick it up himself. This alone is one of the biggest changes the Rams will see when they one day transition from Stafford to Simpson. And certainly Stafford brings a headiness to his play that is unrivaled by the next generation. His no-look passes and ability to quickly progress through the defense gives Los Angeles a massive inherent advantage. There are tradeoffs for nearly any player teams decide to put under center. At least on the surface the Rams seem to understand where the quarterback position is headed. Simpson fits that bill from a stylistic standpoint. A common draft season knock against both Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson was that they are probably NFL starters but may be not better than mid-tier. Simpson has frequently been compared to Brock Purdy , a former seventh round pick and someone who may never become elite himself. But Simpson has Sean McVay’s seal of approval. That is meaningful for nearly anyone on the offensive side of the ball. While seeing Simpson in such a favorable light does require some hand waving and looking past a small sample size, you can certainly see why the Rams felt he was a fit for their system and that he has the potential to grow into a difference maker. One of the main concerns with Simpson is his frame. He stands 6-1 and weighed 211 lbs. at the NFL scouting combine. That weight is likely significantly heavier than where he played at last season while he was battling gastritis. For example, the below list of quarterbacks have a earned reputation for missing time. Being slight of frame is a real concern. Brock Purdy, 212 lbs JJ McCarthy, 219 lbs Jayden Daniels , 21o lbs Lamar Jackson, 216 lbs Kyler Murray , 207 lbs Joe Burrow, 221 lbs Josh Allen is pushing 240 pounds. Caleb Williams and Drake Maye are in the mid-220’s. Even 10 additional pounds may make a big difference in terms of sustaining hits over the course of a season. With an opportunity to observe one of the most savvy passers in football, time to build out his ph
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Former NFL players are increasingly transitioning into high school coaching roles, leveraging their experience to mentor young athletes. Notable figures like C.J. Anderson, Jason Ankrah, JoJuan Armour, Don Barclay, Lew Barnes, Nick Barnett, Jason Belser, Tyler Brayton, and Bucky Brooks are among the 128 ex-professionals now leading high school football programs across the country
This article from Arrowhead Pride looks back at some of the Kansas City Chiefs' most memorable regular-season games throughout their history, highlighting specific matchups and key plays that defined eras and showcased star players
Colts fans are most interested in the QB2 battle between Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard, with Daniel Jones returning from injury and Philip Rivers' past unretirement adding intrigue to the backup situation
The San Francisco 49ers will be linked to any defensive lineman who is perceived to be available on the market. That goes from Kayvon Thibodeaux to Alex Highsmith to Jalen Carter , and Maxx Crosby . One of the most popular names that’s been tied to the Niners this offseason is Nick Bosa ’s brother, Joey. In late May, Nick said his brother is thinking more about his golf game than the NFL. On his recent podcast , ESPN’s Adam Schefter shared an update about Joey: “It’s more likely than not that Joey Bosa has played his last NFL down. Now again, could a situation like the 40ers come along that entices him enough to come out and play again? Yeah, absolutely. We saw it happen last year with Philip Rivers . So you never know when a player is fully done and when he’s not done. But the fact of the matter is, I think if the Niners wanted to pair those two together, it probably would have happened already. I think if Joey Bosa wanted to play football, it probably would have happened already. And I think he’s perfectly content to sit on the sideline, with all the money he’s made, and not have to go to training camp, not have to put himself into a situation that he doesn’t want to be in, and be highly selective to choose an opportunity to play again — and that’s even if he does that, which I would guess there’s a real chance he doesn’t.” Bosa turns 31 in July. Last year was the first time he appeared in double-digit games since 2021. The 49ers would pursue an edge rusher if Nick or Mykel Williams are behind the 8-ball on their rehab. Some believe Mykel begins the season on the PUP list. If that were the case, a player like Jadeveon Clowney — who is no spring chicken himself at 33 — would make more sense as a replacement for Williams. Clowney has long been a stout run defender, but has shown the ability to consistently get after the quarterback every year, even as he’s eclipsed 30. Clowney is one option. If the door is closed on Bosa, the 49ers have plenty of options. And don’t forget about Romello Height, who would lose reps or playing time if the Niners were to add another pass rusher
Drew Brees, at 47, states he could not return to the NFL, citing significant arm issues. He now throws better left-handed due to years of wear and tear on his right arm from his extensive playing career
The Buffalo Bills have a revamped offense heading into the season with new offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael and several new wide receiver additions. The health and productivity of tight end Dalton Kincaid are seen as crucial for the offense's success. Quarterback Josh Allen is reportedly bonding well with Carmichael
Russell Wilson’s playing days are (reportedly) over (probably) in the NFL (unless a Philip Rivers-type thing happens). While not explicitly retiring just yet, Wilson has accepted a deal to join CBS’ broadcast team as an analyst. In his twilight years, Wilson has retained his ability to make national news every so often. First with the rumors of playing backup to his former backup Geno Smith on his former backup’s former team the New York Jets . Now, as the latest quarterback to grab a microphone and start talking at us. Too bad it’s not Thursday Night on Amazon Prime with Richard Sherman . In typical Wilson fashion, I would not expect any sort of formal retirement announcement for some time. I’d almost guarantee he will cite Aaron Rodgers or Philip Rivers in an interview in this calendar year. To be fair to Wilson, this is a better decision than backup QB for the New York Jets. For a lot of reasons. The Jets are most of the reasons. If this is the end, Russell Wilson threw 292 TDs in Seattle (and won a Super Bowl), 42 for the Denver Broncos , 16 for the Pittsburgh Steelers and three with the New York Giants . What a run
For the Cleveland Browns, the NFL draft has been a minefield of problems. Just in this century, there are clear arguments about which are the worst selections that the team has made . The Browns have made some great picks, including OT Joe Thomas and DE Myles Garrett . One “could have been” scenario in Cleveland draft history is QB Eli Manning . There have been stories about the then-Browns coach Butch Davis trying to work with Erni Accorsi to move up to the fourth pick, with a shot at moving that selection to acquire Manning. There were a lot of QBs involved in the 2004 NFL draft, including Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger , whose careers could have looked a lot different with a few moves. ( Barry Shuck broke the details down previously ) Manning spoke on the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast about his decisions around not getting drafted by the San Diego Chargers, how his dad took the brunt of the blame (despite not being in favor of Eli’s request not to play for the Chargers), and other teams involved in the pursuit. As noted by Pro Football Talk , the Browns were the team that Manning’s agent expected him to be traded to: When the possibility of a trade came up, Condon told Manning the Chargers were going to trade him to the Browns, and he didn’t want to go there, either. Fortunately for Manning, ultimately the Giants and Chargers made a deal, and Manning won two Super Bowl MVPs in New York. Manning talked about what his real motivation was, including the Pittsburgh Steelers being the other team, along with the New York Giants, that he wanted to play for: In the 2004 draft, Davis ended up trading up one spot to select TE Kellen Winslow Jr. How do you think Manning’s career would have played out had Davis and the Browns been able to acquire him on draft night? Sign up for a user account and get: Fewer ads Create community posts Comment on articles, community posts Rec comments, community posts New, improved notifications system!
Eli Manning left his pre-draft dinner with the Chargers with a bad taste in his mouth — and not because of the food in his hometown. In maybe his most detailed comments ever about why he refused to play for the Chargers and essentially forced his way to the Giants in 2004, Manning said recently that he sensed dysfunction during a dinner with the Chargers’ brass. “I just didn’t feel like they were the most committed team to winning at the time,” Manning said on “Bussin with the Boys.” “Marty Schottenheimer was the head coach, who was awesome. Had great respect for him. But they came to work me out in New Orleans, went to dinner and there was just friction between the head coach, general manager [A.J. Smith], the owners [Spanos family]. They are all yelling — kind of like fighting. “We are at a Marriott restaurant. Schottenheimer’s mad like, ‘We’re in New Orleans and we’re eating at a Marriott?’ He’s like pissed. They are kind of bickering. It just didn’t seem there was a lot of agreement on things and they were committed to building a great winning franchise at that moment.” Manning stayed pretty tight-lipped for two decades on the decision. The Chargers ultimately drafted Manning with the No. 1 pick, which made for some awkward on-stage photos and interviews. A short time later, the Giants drafted Philip Rivers at No. 4 and orchestrated a trade of Manning for Rivers-plus. Eli’s father, Archie Manning, took a lot of heat for the decision because of the speculation that he wanted his son to play for a proven winner after his promising career went by the wayside with the bungling Saints. “My parents really weren’t supportive,” Eli said. “My dad didn’t like the idea. He came to my defense and supported me after everything was going down. Afterwards, he took a blunt of a lot of the criticism. People were saying, ‘You played in New Orleans. All those years you didn’t win. So you are trying to dictate where your son is going.’ He just kind of bit his tongue and said, ‘This is what Eli wants to do.’ He kind of did some media to save me from taking all the hits.” Let it be a fair warning for the next year: Any teams at the top of the 2027 draft who are hoping to select Arch Manning — Eli’s nephew and Archie’s grandson — should have all their representatives on the same page at the dinner table
Age is just a number – even in the NFL. It has a lot to do with perspective and obviously genetics, but some are able to dip into the fountain of youth long after Father Time starts asking them to get out. With a good routine, healthy habits and plenty of care, anyone can achieve the feat of slowing the aging process. And the same is true on the football field. Look no further than the likes of Tom Brady , Aaron Rodgers and others who have played at a high level into their fourth decade of life. Brady won a Super Bowl at age-43 and even Philip Rivers made a triumphant return to the gridiron at 44 years old after being retired for the previous four seasons. Plenty of quarterbacks have managed to play well beyond the expected shelf life for someone in the NFL. That will only continue in 2026 as Rodgers returns to the field for a 22nd season in the pros. Here's what to know about some of the oldest quarterbacks to play in the NFL and where Rodgers ranks. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers fumbles as he is hit by the Houston Texans' Will Anderson Jr. The Texans' Sheldon Rankins (90) returned the fumble for a touchdown as Houston went on to a 30-6 wild-card playoff win at Acrisure Stadium on Jan. 12, 2026. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers fumbles as he is hit by the Houston Texans' Will Anderson Jr. The Texans' Sheldon Rankins (90) returned the fumble for a touchdown as Houston went on to a 30-6 wild-card playoff win at Acrisure Stadium on Jan. 12, 2026. Rodgers is 42 years old. The quarterback was born on Dec. 2, 1983 in Chico, California. Tom Brady is the oldest quarterback in NFL history to start a game. Brady accomplished that feat at the age of 45 on Sept. 11, 2022 when he started for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 19-3 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1. It was the first of 17 regular-season starts for Brady in his final season. Here's a look at the oldest quarterbacks to start a game in the NFL and how many they started in that season: Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2022: 45 years old (17 starts) Vinny Testaverde, Carolina Panthers , 2007: 44 years old (6 starts) Philip Rivers, Indianapolis Colts , 2025: 44 years old (3 starts) Steven DeBerg, Atlanta Falcons , 1998: 44 years old (1 start) Warren Moon, Kansas City Chiefs , 2000: 44 years old (1 start) Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers , 2025: 42 years old (16 starts) Doug Flutie, San Diego Chargers, 2004: 42 years old (1 start) George Blanda is the oldest quarterback to attempt a pass in NFL history. The Oakland Raiders quarterback and kicker was 48 years old at the time and completed 1-of-3 pass attempts during the 1975 season. The Hall of Famer also remains the oldest quarterback in NFL history to throw a touchdown pass, which came during the 1974 season at the age of 47. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How old is Aaron Rodgers? Where he ranks among oldest QBs in NFL history
Anthony Richardson hasn’t played enough football to play hardball. Despite requesting a trade from the Colts earlier this offseason, Richardson is attending voluntary OTAs as he awaits more clarity on his NFL future. There doesn’t appear to be much of a trade market for Richardson, who has made just 15 starts since he was the No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft. “The Colts are still giving me a chance to go out there and work, work hard and potentially get on the field,” Richardson told the Indianapolis Star during his jersey retirement ceremony at Gainesville (Fla.) Eastside High School. “Glad to be able to stay in the NFL and put the work in. Just showing up at OTAs, it was a blessing in disguise for me because I just wanted to work and they allowed me to do that so I’m thankful for that.” Richardson was seen by scouts as a high-upside, low-ceiling developmental project after one year as the starter at Florida. But the Colts threw him into the fire as a rookie and he suffered a season-ending injury after four starts. He was benched during an inconsistent 2024 and then lost his starting job to free-agent signing Daniel Jones in 2025. To compound matters, Richardson suffered a fractured orbital bone in a freak pregame accident last season. He was limited to two pass attempts and missed a chance to prove himself while Jones was sidelined with a torn Achilles, forcing the Colts to lure Philip Rivers out of a four-year retirement. “If I don’t put that work in to be a better player then I won’t be in the NFL,” Richardson said. “I just want to work hard and constantly think about my opportunity that I have now and try to take advantage of it.” Jones has been medically cleared to participate in 7-on-7 during OTAs but any first-team 11-on-11 snaps could go to Richardson or Riley Leonard
Data comes from cached Sleeper and KTC snapshots. Values update when the sync jobs run.
