Think Tom Brady is an ironman? George Blanda was still playing at 48

The quarterback and kicker was judged too old by the Bears when he was in his early 30s. He was approaching his sixth decade when his career finally ended

SERVANT TO THE GAME: George Blanda at the age of 43 during the 1970 season: his NFL career would last another five years. Pic: James Flores/NFL

Tom Brady, the 45-year-old Tampa Bay quarterback who is often said to be ageless, has smashed nearly every NFL record that he can – one notable exception is held by an ageless predecessor, a grizzled quarterback and kicker who finally stopped playing because his team cut him.

George Frederick Blanda was of Slovak heritage, and his dad was a Pittsburgh coal miner. He played his final NFL game on 4 January 1976, at the age of 48 years, 109 days, a record that still stands. Blanda intended to keep playing, but he was not in the Oakland Raiders’ plans.