5 oldest quarterbacks to ever start a game for the Detroit Lions

1. Frank Reich

The current Indianapolis Colts head coach is best-known as a player for his run as Jim Kelly’s backup with the Buffalo Bills (1985-1994), and the epic playoff comeback he led over the Houston Oilers to start one of the Bills’ Super Bowl runs during that era. He has since become a well-regarded coach, getting his first head coaching opportunity in Indianapolis after they were spurned by Josh McDaniels at the last minute.

Reich played for three more teams over four seasons to end his NFL playing career after the Bills. He spent the 1995 season with the Carolina Panthers and the 1996 campaign with the New York Jets (making seven starts, the most starts he made in a single season during his career), before spending his final two seasons (1997 and 1998) with the Lions. He made two starts, both in 1998, among 12 total appearances for Detroit over those two seasons.

Reich is the only quarterback to start a game for the Lions past his 37th birthday. Plenty of teams have had someone start a game under center for them in their 40s. But the Lions aren’t one of them, and they don’t seem likely to enter that club anytime soon.

1998 Stats for the Lions: 6 games, 4 starts; 768 passing yards, 5 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 57.3 percent completion rate, 78.9 passer rating

Age at time of last start for the Lions, Dec. 27, 1998 at Baltimore Ravens: 37 years, 23 days