DO you think that age limits for success in the NFL are fading, and why do people still age discriminate?
447594
I'm a pro player. 29 years old and been in the league for 9 years. When you turn 30, it is a belief that they player loses some coordination and becomes expendable. Also, the contracts that we sign are back loaded. When they get to the end of the deal, their salary cap number becomes so high, they have to sever ties and rely on a younger player with less experience to fill the void. It is a rough business to make a living in. It is especially tough on families. I've moved twice and it is nerve racking. Then, on the flipside, some NFL teams love the older players and they find a home for another 3 to 6 years. Its a growing trend but that is the NFL.
286884
As a rule, NO! It depends on the situation, but usually people of that age have a tremendous amount of experience in their field if they have been in the same line of work for a while.  This should be utilized in order to avoid making the same sort of mistakes that can be made by a "newbie" that is still discovering the subtle nuances that every career has.  Granted, if a person cannot compete at that age and has lost the drive or enthusiasm that it takes to stay competitive, then they have no business being in that position.  Also, if that person is resistant to change and doesn't want to lead, then they are a liability. But if I were the head of a company, I would try to strike a delicate balance between seasoned veterans who are battle tested, and upstart prospects who bring loads of energy and fresh ideas to the table.  That way, everyone gets the most out of the working relationship and prosperity is abound! \nPlease excuse my optimism but I believe that people can excel when put in the right environment.
1006658
well considering most of them are retired from football before there 35yrs, i think its alright. they earn it because you have to give up so much to consentrate on football when your younger to make it, so those that do make it, deserve it!
501854
I've known stubborn set-in-their-ways people who were 7-years old.  I've known enthusiastic, open-minded, ready to learn and take on new challenges people in their 90s.  My guess is that people are who they are and the years just pile on after that, and it's who they are deep down that will see them open to change or not.\n\nBut my opinion isn't written in stone.  I'm open to changing it.\n\n;)
53197
Well Quarterbacks can get the numbers 1-19.\nRunningbacks 20-39\nDefensive players can get any numbers they want, usually\nWR's get 80-89 and 10-19\nOffensive Lineman get into the sixty's and seventy's.\n\nThat's about the general rule. Pretty soon the NFL will become less strict and probably let anyone get any number. Well, except the retired numbers.
701604
The quality of talent is low.\n\nLet's compare some of the QB's of the early 1980's to now:\nBC:  then DeWalt, now Dickinson - even\nEdm: then Moon (and Dunigan), now Ray - edge Moon, but Ray is the best in the CFL now\nCal:  then Johnson, now Burris - edge Burris\nSask:  then Hufnagel, now Joseph - edge Joseph\nWpg: then Brock, now Glenn - wide edge to Brock\nHam: then Clements, now Maas - wide edge to Clements\nTor:  then Holloway, now 43 yr old Allen - wide edge to Holloway\nMtl:  then Barnes, now aging Calvillo - even
408637
At your age I guess you want to play for fun, as a hobby, not professional. Because you are a little old to start now a football career. I'm not saying it's impossible, but you must play really really good, nice is not enough.
1118330
What the hell...\n\nIts not like they run through mine fields man...\n\nI think a normal age of an athlete
548777
Based on avg. roster of about 44 players on roster a year over those 10 years 1983-19993 probabably between 350 to 400 (throwing injuries trades etc... into the mix). I have no idea what NFL roster limits were in the 50's or 60's they might not have been limits, I'd guess 25 to 35 between 1950-1960. The league was primarily made up of white americans at this time.
981956
I've felt the exact same thing for about a year now.\n\nThe problem with the NFL now versus 20 years ago is that offensive systems have become so complex that only a few quarterbacks can learn them, and even they must have plays called from the sidelines.  (The last NFL quarterback to call his own plays - for the whole game - was Jim Kelly.  Nobody else has since the early 1980s.)  \n\nOf course, quarterbacks no longer calling their own plays is an *absolutely* *unrelated* to the 40 second play clock instituted during that decade.... (Yeah, right!)\n\nHaving quarterbacks who alternate based on the series and situation is a good idea.  There are many benefits to it:\n\n1) Injuries.  When 50-80% of players use steroids and HGH, having two game-ready quarterbacks is a good thing.  In the last decade, nearly half the NFL's starting quarterbacks in any given year missed games due to injury.  That never happened in the 1960s, 1970s, or even the 1980s.\n\n2) Less to learn.  Quarterbacks who have lots of talent but not the ability to learn more complex systems could thrive.  (If anybody is thinking "Jimmy the Greek" or "Rush Limbaugh" crap about black QBs, please kill yourself.  There are more white QBs by percentage who wash out than blacks.)  Improvisational players could get by on talent in ways that they can't now.\n\n3) Versatlity.  Very few players can do everything well.  Switching QBs could force defenses to switch personnel, leading to more defensive lapses and penalties just by changing one offensive player.\n\n4) Play calling.  Why have a receiver bring in one play at a time or use hand or radio signals and risk miscommunication, when an offensive coordinator could send in a QB with 5-10 plays at a time, enough for 1-2 sets of downs?  There would be less mistakes, and as they say in hockey, "fresh legs" because the player catches his breath.\n\n5) Defensive hell.  Marv Levy once talked about using Jim Kelly at QB and Doug Flutie at halfback and the havoc it could have caused defenses, this during the years of the "Ace" formation with one running back, Thurman Thomas and three wide receivers.  (He never tried it because Bills' management wouldn't let him.)  Just imagine having two capable passers on the field at once, one of them capable of running or receiving as well.  If Pittsburgh had used Neil O'Donnell and Cordell Stewart in this way, maybe both of them could have had great careers.\n\n\n.
622025
You know, it really gets me angry when people perpetuate the "high school football player" stereotype. Im a highschool football player. I dont drink, dont do drugs, and dont smoke. Im an eagle scout, a member of National Honors Society, and an almost strait A student...Spanish class....I weight lift, play football or play lacrosse everyday year round and im probably going to a highlevel college like UVA or UNC. Maybe these student athletes are just trying to make some cash like i do in my summer job. I consider myself a hard worker and a pretty good kid. And im not the only kid on my team thats like me. I wish people would stop being so narrow-minded. Just because a person enjoys playing the great sport of American Football doesnt make them a retarded druggie.
293550
Pushing the age up to 20 to enter into the NBA is a farce...Not to mention it's illegal. I'm not from the States, nor did I study American contract law, but if it's anything like Canadian contract law, a person can sign a legally binding contract at the age of 18.  There is no other reason to bump up the age for the aforementioned reasons (older NBA players losing their jobs, "better education", better conditioning), but I honestly think that the NCAA has put pressure on the NBA, because the NCAA is losing out on a lot of money too when these "can't miss high school" phenoms jump right to the NBA.  Just think how many LeBron James UNC, UConn, UCLA, whatever college he would have attended for 2 years jerseys would have sold, not to mention the TV revenues it would have generated, and that goes for all the other players too.  I'm just waiting until this one gets to court.  If the age increase is upheld...I'd have to take a serious look at the court systems....lol  It's not the players' fault that all these NBA teams are drafting them right out of high school.  Keep in mind too, that with the NEW D-League not withstanding, the NBA doesn't really have a minor league to "raise" their players, like the NHL or MLB.  Personally I think the age should have stayed at 18, but introduce a much better minor league, that way, everyone is happy.  I'll get off my soapbox now...lol  \nAnd for the guy below that thinks I'm an idiot, so you're telling me then an 18 year old is NOT allowed to sign a legally binding contract in the USA.  He can vote, he can go to war and put his life on the line for your country, but he can't play in the NBA.  If the players aren't physically or mentally ready to play in the NBA, shouldn't that be a decision made by the GMs and coaching staffs?  After all, your government thinks they are physically and mentally fit to join the forces, why not the NBA?  I have a number of friends who are in the American Army who have spent time in Iraq, and I'm sure they would tell you it's a little more demanding than the NBA.  If the kid isn't ready for the NBA then don't draft him.  Just for arguments sake, what if Kobe, T-Mac, LeBron, M.Malone, etc  go to college, because they were forced to,  suffer a career ending injury in those 2 "mandatory years" and don't see a dime.  What then?  Fall back on an education, after they lose their scholarship because they can't play basketball?  Would the NBA be prepared to pay compensation damages for lost wages, because that player actually was ready to play in the NBA after high school.  After all, don't Americans sue for everything?
327780
Actually it is a lot less than it used to be. I am 58 and I remember segregation and white people talking about Negroes and "colored people" in a derogatory way. Today a lot of those same groups of people have black friends or work with black people and there is a lot less of that than there used to be. Yes, there are people, usually of a lower socioeconomic class who are still acting that way because they see educated black people getting better jobs than they do and don't want to admit it is because that person is smarter and better educated and they want to bring them below them so they have someone to look down on. They don't want to admit that the problem is themselves.
865133
I completely agree!  College football is just filled with passion and desire.  Once they get to the NFL it seems like the heart is gone.  I would enjoy a separate college area.
500349
According to Bolton's media officer, they said they wanted to reduce the average age of their player.\n\nWhen an average is taken of player's ages in the premiership, they are the oldest team in the premiership and i think they want to drop that cloak. Its sad because i think player employment should be determined by their performance.
670039
I assume that you are talking about the players.  In that case it is baseball.  The NFL has a salary cap.  You don't see any football players signing $200 million dollar contracts like in baseball (Alex Rodriguez)
933032
its not an age issue... you used to beable to enter the nba when you graduated highschool but now they made it so you have to go to college for one year then to the nba.