List of most consecutive starts and games played by National Football League players
This is a list of the most consecutive starts and games played by a player by position in the National Football League (NFL).[1][2]
NFL lists |
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![](../I/BrettFavre.jpg.webp)
Quarterback Brett Favre's streak of 297 consecutive games started is the longest all-time.[3][4] Among defensive players, Jim Marshall's 270 is the longest.[3] Of special note is punter Jeff Feagles, who played in 352 consecutive games which is the longest of all-time for a special teams player.[5] Special teams players are not credited with starts in the NFL.[1][6] In 2018, Ryan Kerrigan became the most recent player to surpass someone at his position for consecutive starts, having broken the previous mark for left outside linebackers previously held by Jason Gildon.[7]
Leaderboards
Bold denotes an active streak
All-time starts
![](../I/Philip_Rivers_2014.JPG.webp)
Minimum 200 consecutive regular season starts[1][2][8]
Rank | Player | Pos | Period | Teams | Consecutive starts | Playoffs | Total | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Brett Favre | QB | September 27, 1992 – May 12, 2010 | GB/NYJ/MIN | 297 | 24 | 321 | [9][10] |
2 | Jim Marshall | DE | September 17, 1961 – December 16, 1979 | MIN | 270 | 19 | 289 | [11][12] |
3 | Bill Romanowski | LB | April 9, 1988 – September 22, 2003 | SF/PHI/DEN/OAK | 243 | 28 | 271 | |
4T | Mick Tingelhoff | C | September 16, 1962 – December 17, 1978 | MIN | 240 | 19 | 259 | [13][14] |
Philip Rivers | QB | November 9, 2006 – March 1, 2021 | SD/LAC/IND | 240 | 12 | 252 | [15][16][17] | |
5 | Bruce Matthews | G | November 29, 1987 – June 1, 2002 | OIL/TEN | 229 | 15 | 244 | [18][19] |
6 | Will Shields | RG | December 9, 1993 – December 31, 2006 | KC | 223 | 8 | 231 | [20][21] |
7T | Alan Page | DT | August 10, 1967 – December 20, 1981 | MIN/CHI | 215 | 19 | 234 | [22][23] |
Ronde Barber | CB | November 21, 1999 – December 30, 2012 | TB | 215 | 9 | 224 | [24][25] | |
London Fletcher | LB | December 11, 2000 – December 29, 2013 | SLR/BUF/WAS | 215 | 6 | 221 | [26][27] | |
10T | Jim Otto | C | November 9, 1960 – December 14, 1974 | OAK | 210 | 13 | 223 | [28][29] |
Eli Manning | QB | November 24, 2004 – November 23, 2017 | NYG | 210 | 12 | 222 | [30][31] | |
12T | Derrick Brooks | LB | January 9, 1996 – December 28, 2008 | TB | 208 | 11 | 219 | [32][33] |
Peyton Manning | QB | June 9, 1998 – February 1, 2011 | IND | 208 | 19 | 227 | [34][35] | |
14 | Gene Upshaw | LG | October 9, 1967 – April 10, 1981 | OAK | 207 | 24 | 231 | [36][37] |
15 | Randall McDaniel | LG | October 22, 1989 – June 1, 2002 | MIN/TB | 202 | 16 | 218 | [38][39] |
Active leaders
Minimum 100 consecutive regular season starts[40]
Player | Pos | Teams | Reg. season starts | References |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jake Matthews | OT | ATL | 150 | [41] |
Jason Kelce | C | PHI | 146 | [42] |
All-time games played
Top 25 players for consecutive regular season games played[1][43][44]
Rank | Player | Pos | Period | Teams | Consecutive games | Playoffs | Total | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jeff Feagles | P | April 9, 1988 – March 1, 2010 | NE/PHI/ARI/SEA/NYG | 352 | 11 | 363 | [6][45] |
2 | Brett Favre | QB | September 13, 1992 – May 12, 2010 | ATL/GB/NYJ/MIN | 299 | 24 | 323 | [10][46][47] |
3 | Jim Marshall | DE | September 25, 1960 – December 16, 1979 | CLE/MIN | 282 | 19 | 301 | [11][48] |
4 | Mason Crosby | K | September 9, 2007 – January 8, 2023 | GB | 258 | 23 | 281 | [49][50] |
5 | London Fletcher | LB | June 9, 1998 – December 29, 2013 | SLR/BUF/WAS | 256 | 9 | 265 | [26][27] |
6 | Shane Lechler | P | September 29, 2002 – December 31, 2017 | OAK/HOU | 254 | 10 | 264 | [51][52] |
7 | L. P. Ladouceur | LS | February 10, 2005 – March 1, 2021 | DAL | 253 | 9 | 262 | [53][54] |
8 | Morten Andersen | K | October 25, 1987 – December 15, 2002 | NO/ATL/NYG/KC | 248 | 8 | 256 | [55][50] |
9 | Chris Gardocki | P | November 28, 1991 – December 31, 2006 | CHI/IND/CLE/PIT | 244 | 14 | 258 | [56][57] |
10 | Bill Romanowski | LB | April 9, 1988 – September 22, 2003 | SF/PHI/DEN/OAK | 243 | 28 | 271 | [58][59] |
11 | Philip Rivers | QB | December 31, 2005 – March 1, 2021 | SD/LAC/IND | 241 | 12 | 253 | [15][16] |
12T | Mick Tingelhoff | C | September 16, 1962 – December 17, 1978 | MIN | 240 | 19 | 259 | [13][14] |
Ryan Longwell | K | January 9, 1997 – January 1, 2012 | GB/MIN | 240 | 13 | 253 | [60][61] | |
Ronde Barber | DB | June 9, 1998 – December 30, 2012 | TB | 240 | 9 | 249 | [24][25] | |
15 | Sam Koch | P | October 9, 2006 – December 27, 2020 | BAL | 239 | 18 | 257 | [62][63][64] |
16 | Jason Witten | TE | October 19, 2003 – December 31, 2017 | DAL | 235 | 8 | 243 | [65][66] |
17T | Jim Bakken | K | November 25, 1962 – December 17, 1978 | SLC | 234 | 2 | 236 | [67][68] |
Gary Anderson | K | October 25, 1987 – July 1, 2002 | PIT/PHI/SF/MIN/TEN | 234 | 17 | 251 | [69][70] | |
19 | Bruce Matthews | OL | November 29, 1987 – June 1, 2002 | OIL/TEN | 232 | 15 | 247 | [18][71] |
20 | Jim Turner | K | December 9, 1964 – December 17, 1979 | NYJ/DEN | 228 | 8 | 236 | [72][73] |
21T | George Blanda | K/QB | November 9, 1960 – December 21, 1975 | OIL/OAK | 224 | 18 | 242 | [74][75] |
John Hadl | QB/P | July 9, 1962 – December 18, 1977 | SD/LAR/GB/OIL | 224 | 4 | 228 | [76][77] | |
Dan Stryzinski | P | September 9, 1990 – December 28, 2003 | PIT/TB/ATL/KC/NYJ | 224 | 4 | 228 | [78][79] | |
Will Shields | RG | May 9, 1993 – December 31, 2006 | KC | 224 | 8 | 232 | [20][80] | |
Derrick Brooks | LB | March 9, 1995 – December 28, 2008 | TB | 224 | 11 | 235 | [32][81] | |
Kevin Carter | DE/DT | March 9, 1995 – December 28, 2008 | SLR/TEN/MIA/TB | 224 | 9 | 233 | [82][83] | |
Ethan Albright | LS | January 9, 1996 – March 1, 2010 | BUF/WAS | 224 | 6 | 230 | [84][85] | |
John Denney | LS | November 9, 2005 – December 30, 2018 | MIA | 224 | 2 | 226 | [86][87] |
Consecutive starts by position
Offensive skilled
![](../I/Jason_Witten_2015.jpg.webp)
Position | Player | Period | Teams | Consecutive starts | Playoffs | Total | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterback | Brett Favre | September 27, 1992 – May 12, 2010 | GB/NYJ/MIN | 297 | 24 | 321 | [10][9] |
Tight end | Jason Witten | December 16, 2006 – December 31, 2017 | DAL | 179 | 7 | 186 | [65][66] |
Wide receiver | Tim Brown | December 14, 1992 – July 12, 2003 | RAI/OAK | 176 | 9 | 185 | [88][89] |
Running back | Walter Payton | July 12, 1975 – September 20, 1987 | CHI | 170 | 8 | 178 | [90][91] |
Fullback | Jim Brown | September 29, 1957 – December 19, 1965 | CLE | 118 | 4 | 122 | [92][93] |
Offensive linemen
![](../I/Dieken_at_2012_Sports_Awards_(cropped).jpg.webp)
Position | Player | Period | Teams | Consecutive starts | Playoffs | Total | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Center | Mick Tingelhoff | September 16, 1962 – December 17, 1978 | MIN | 240 | 19 | 259 | [13][14] |
Right guard | Will Shields | December 9, 1993 – December 31, 2006 | KC | 223 | 8 | 231 | [20][21] |
Left guard | Gene Upshaw | October 9, 1967 – April 10, 1981 | OAK | 207 | 24 | 231 | [36][37] |
Left tackle | Doug Dieken | November 21, 1971 – December 16, 1984 | CLE | 194 | 4 | 198 | [92][94] |
Right tackle | Jon Runyan | August 31, 1997 – December 28, 2008 | TEN/PHI | 192 | 21 | 213 | [95][96] |
Defensive linemen
![](../I/Jim_Marshall_DE_(cropped).png.webp)
Position | Player | Period | Teams | Consecutive starts | Playoffs | Total | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Defensive end | Jim Marshall | September 17, 1961 – December 16, 1979 | MIN | 270 | 19 | 289 | [11][12][97] |
Defensive tackle | Alan Page | August 10, 1967 – December 20, 1981 | MIN/CHI | 215 | 19 | 234 | [22][23] |
Nose tackle | Fred Smerlas | July 9, 1980 – September 20, 1987 | BUF | 107 | 3 | 110 | [98][99] |
Linebackers
![](../I/Derrick_Brooks_with_2006_Pro_Bowl_MVP_trophy_060210-N-4856G-129.jpg.webp)
Position | Player | Period | Teams | Consecutive starts | Playoffs | Total | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Linebacker | London Fletcher | June 9, 1998 – December 29, 2013 | SLR/BUF/WAS | 256 | 9 | 265 | |
Linebacker | Bill Romanowski | April 9, 1988 – September 22, 2003 | SF/PHI/DEN/OAK | 243 | 28 | 271 | |
Outside linebacker | Derrick Brooks | January 9, 1996 – December 28, 2008 | TB | 224 | 11 | 235 | |
Linebacker | London Fletcher | December 11, 2000 – December 29, 2013 | SLR/BUF/WAS | 215 | 6 | 221 | [26][27] |
Middle linebacker | Lee Roy Jordan | September 18, 1966 – December 12, 1976 | DAL | 154 | 19 | 173 | [100][101] |
Defensive backs
![](../I/Ronde_Barber.JPG.webp)
Position | Player | Period | Teams | Consecutive starts | Playoffs | Total | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Defensive back | Ronde Barber | November 21, 1999 – December 30, 2012 | TB | 215 | 9 | 224 | [24][25] |
Cornerback | Ronde Barber | November 21, 1999 – September 9, 2012 | TB | 200 | 9 | 209 | [24][102] |
Safety | Willie Wood | September 17, 1961 – December 19, 1971 | GB | 154 | 9 | 163 | [103][104][105] |
Strong safety | Bill Thompson | September 16, 1973 – December 20, 1981 | DEN | 134 | 5 | 139 | [106][107] |
Free safety | Darryl Williams | November 10, 1992 – December 27, 1998 | CIN/SEA | 108 | 0 | 108 | [108][109] |
Special teams
![](../I/Mason_crosby_2010.jpg.webp)
Position | Player | Period | Teams | Consecutive games | Playoffs | Total | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Punter | Jeff Feagles | April 9, 1988 – March 1, 2010 | NE/PHI/ARI/SEA/NYG | 352 | 11 | 363 | [6][45] |
Kicker | Mason Crosby | September 9, 2007 – January 8, 2023 | GB | 258 | 23 | 281 | [49][50] |
Long snapper | L. P. Ladouceur | February 10, 2005 – March 1, 2021 | DAL | 253 | 9 | 262 | [53][54] |
Kick/Punt returner | Carl Roaches | July 9, 1980 – December 16, 1984 | OIL | 73 | 1 | 74 | [110][111] |
Note: Games played by special teams players such as kickers and punters are not recognized officially as starts by the NFL.[1][6][55]
See also
References
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- Jason Gildon Stats
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- Path to 200
- Philip Rivers retiring from NFL after 17 seasons
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- Weir, Tom (August 3, 2007). "Iron Man Matthews earns his bronze bust in Canton". USA Today. Retrieved January 13, 2011.
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- Brett Favre Career Highlights HOF
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- Shane Lechler Plays in 250th Consecutive Game
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- Jason Witten - Game Logs
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- Doug Dieken Statistics
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