Entering his 11th NFL season, Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff has played some of the best football of his career in recent years. Over the last four seasons, he has the most passing touchdowns (130) and passing yards (18,206).
NFL rules protect quarterbacks like no other players on the field are protected, which allows for some to test the generally accepted age limits of playing football at its highest level. Tom Brady played until he was 45. Aaron Rodgers will turn 43 late in what he says will be his 18th and final season.
The Lions' first preseason opponent, the Cincinnati Bengals, has two quarterbacks on its roster who are in their 40s (Joe Flacco and Josh Johnson).
Goff, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft, will turn 32 in October. So absent a major injury that would alter the equation, he theoretically has a long time left in his career. How much longer he plays may simply come down to how long he wants to play, with a wife and potential to continue growing his family over the coming years, or when/if he wins a Super Bowl ring.
Jared Goff makes his personal retirement timeline fairly clear
Speaking to reporters after Monday's training camp practice, Goff said he hasn't thought much about when his career will end.
"I'm right in the middle of it", Goff said. "I think I said this the other day (regarding how long he wants to play). Until I don't feel like I can help a team win a championship. I think that's going to be a long time."
When asked specifically about Rodgers, with a tie as fellow Cal alums as the root of the question, playing this season at 42 years old, Goff called it "something to look forward to for me", before backpedaling a bit and saying "I don't know, we'll see" regarding actually playing that much longer.
READ MORE: Lions should stay far away from this Shedeur Sanders trade idea
Goff's age-42 season would be 2036, and his 21st season in the NFL. His status as a mostly stationary pocket passer greatly reduces his risk of serious injury, in the vein of guys like Brady and Flacco, so if the spirit is willing he might be able to get there.
In any case, even if he doesn't play another full decade, Goff is not near the end of his career and it takes the media asking about it to make it any kind of a topic. But it is fun to think about him lasting until his age-42 season, even if it's unlikely he'd stay in a Lions' uniform the whole time.
Add us as a preferred source on Google