Weeden Weeden was selected 22nd overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2012 NFL Draft. At 28 years old, he became the oldest player ever selected in the first round. He played only three seasons in the NFL, all with the Browns.
The draft’s earliest pick was Charlie Batch, who was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2000 Supplemental Draft at the age of 36. Batch played only three seasons in the NFL and finished with a record of 2-1 as a starter.
The most recent player born within an American football league’s drafting year to be drafted in the first round is Dwayne Haskins of the Washington Redskins. The previous record holder was Jared Goff, who was selected second by the Los Angeles Rams in 2016. Goff played only two seasons in the NFL and finished with a record of 16-28 as a starter.
There have been over 100 players aged 30 or older when they were drafted into the NFL.
Trippi is the oldest living member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the oldest live first-round NFL draft choice as of 2018. He was born on April 13, 1919.
The oldest living player who was not selected in the first round of that year’s NFL draft is Charles White from the Pittsburgh Pirates. The former college football star turned pro with his team during the 1942 season at the age of 19. He played for the Pirates for one game before being released by their new owner. White then signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers but was released after one season too. He finished his career with the Detroit Lions, who picked him up in 1943 but he never played a down for them due to service in World War II. White died in 2014 at the age of 96.
Of course, Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers’ oldest player, is 39 years old. He’ll be the third 39-year-old to play for the Steelers, following James Harrison in 2017 and punter Bobby Walden in 1977. The team has never had a player above the age of 40.
Big Ben isn’t the only Steeler who has played with the team since he was 18 years old. Running back Jerome Bettis also began his career with the team at that age, and ended it after one season when he went to work for the company that owned him. He returned to the team in 2007 and played three more seasons before retiring due to health issues in 2010.
Bettis is still playing football at the age of 40. His current team, the Kansas City Chiefs, announced this year that they will be giving him a salary cap exemption for the next two seasons so that he can continue to play at a high level well into his 40s.
There are currently no players aged 40 or older on an NFL roster.
The last player born in 1945 to appear in an NFL game was Tom Brady, who turned 44 earlier this month. The last player born in 1946 to appear in an NFL game was John Elway, who turned 45 in April. The last player born in 1947 to appear in an NFL game was Terrell Davis, who turned 46 in August.
As of today, just twelve of the seventy-seven first-round picks have gone on to become future Hall of Famers. Who knows, perhaps the next great NFL player will be selected with the first choice in the 2014 NFL Draft tonight. Loading… This is liked by two bloggers. LOL.
Greene was picked in the fifth round by the Los Angeles Rams in 1985, and the Army National Guard Captain went on to earn 77 sacks and a spot on the First Team All-Pro team in 1989. After signing as a free agent with the Steelers in 1993, the Hall of Famer certainly played like one. Greene started all 16 games for the first time in his career and led the league with 17 sacks. He was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year and earned First Team All-Pro honors.
In addition to being drafted by the Rams, Greene also spent two seasons (1987-88) with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He finished his career with the New York Giants in 1994. Greene was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.
In conclusion, Green Bay Packers founder William Henry “Hank” Adams hired George Preston Marshall to be the first general manager of the franchise. Marshall selected future Hall of Famers Leeman Bennett and Joe Stydahar in the first two rounds of the draft, then traded their rights away. In the third round, Marshall chose Green Bay native John “Jack” Greene from the Army National Guard. The Pittsburgh Steelers had lost just three games all season long up until that point, so it can be assumed they were looking for help on the defensive line back then. They may have found it in Greene, who ended up being one of the best pass rushers of all time.
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