NFL Hall of Famers Who Played Too Long

Some football greats went beyond their expiration dates.

NFL Hall of Famers Who Played Too Long

Emmitt Smith played 15 seasons in the NFL.

For every Jerome Bettis, John Elway and Michael Strahan who goes out on top, dozens of NFL geezers can never say goodbye, no, no, no, no. But that’s what Michael Jackson said. Because when that dreaded retirement day finally does come — poof! — it’s all gone forever. The competition. The camaraderie. The adulation. The accolades. The perks. The big prize.

Oh, yeah, the money, too.

These Hall of Famers played beyond their usefulness, ruined the backs of their football cards, further abused their bodies and in many cases tarnished their legacies.

25. Art Monk

Position: Wide receiver

Career: 1980-95 (16 seasons)

Teams: Washington Redskins (1980-93), New York Jets (1994), Philadelphia Eagles (1995)

Hall of Fame: 2008

First-team All-Pro: 1 (1984)

Pro Bowls: 3 (1984-86)

Super Bowl championships: 2 (1987, 1991)

Bottom Line: Art Monk

This guy had it all — respect, Super Bowls, stats, records, money and business interests.

In a perfect world, the 37-year-old would have retired in burgundy and gold, but he decided to be the third wheel with a crummy Jets team instead.

"There’s nothing that can replace it," he would say later. "I miss all of it. I miss being sore on Monday morning."

24. Terrell Owens

Position: Wide receiver

Career: 1996-2010 (15 seasons)

Teams: San Francisco 49ers (1996-2003), Philadelphia Eagles (2004-05), Dallas Cowboys (2006-08), Buffalo Bills (2009), Cincinnati Bengals (2010)

Hall of Fame: 2018

First-Team All-Pro: 5 (2000-02, 2004, 2007)

Pro Bowls: 6 (2000-04, 2007)

Super Bowl championships: None

Bottom Line: Terrell Owens

This pain in the posterior, er, Hall of Famer lacked only a Super Bowl ring in his bling box, but at what point does a has-been concede that it ain’t gonna happen?

In this case, when you’re a 37-year-old with the 4-12 Bengals of all teams. Rather than pad his stats, T.O. should have called a T.O. two years earlier.

23. Ray Guy

Position: Punter

Career: 1973-86 (14 seasons)

Teams: Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders

Hall of Fame: 2014

First-team All-Pro: 6 (1973-78)

Pro Bowls: 7 (1973-78, 1980)

Super Bowl championships: 3 (1976, 1980, 1983)

Bottom Line: Ray Guy

This former first-rounder was a master of hang time, but hang-‘em-up time, not so much.

Ray Guy failed to reach his career average in four of his final five seasons and even dropped below the 40.0-yard mark in one of them.

22. Eric Dickerson

Position: Running back

Career: 1983-93 (11 seasons)

Teams: Los Angeles Rams (1983-87), Indianapolis Colts (1987-91), Los Angeles Raiders (1992), Atlanta Falcons (1993)

Hall of Fame: 1999

First-team All-Pro: 5 (1983-84, 1986-88)

Pro Bowls: 6 (1983-84, 1986-89)

Super Bowl championships: None

Bottom Line: Eric Dickerson

The Big Three-Oh has been the point of no return for many a running back. Meet Exhibit A.

After a 1,311-yard season at age 29, ol’ goggle-eyes ran into a brick wall. No. matter. Mr. Benny chased the money until the Falcons waived him four years later.

"They told me I could announce my retirement if I wanted," Eric Dickerson said at the time. I believe that qualifies as a hint.

21. Paul Krause

Position: Safety

Career: 1964-79 (16 seasons)

Teams: Washington Redskins (1964-1967), Minnesota Vikings (1968-79)

Hall of Fame: 1998

First-team All-Pro: 3 (1964-65, 1975)

Pro Bowls: 8 (1964-65, 1969, 1971-75)

Super Bowl championships: None

Bottom Line: Paul Krause

His 1975 season was among the most remarkable (and most overlooked) by a 33-year-old at any position. Then the free-fall off Eagle Mountain began in earnest.

Paul Krause stayed four more seasons with a Vikings defense that also had seen better days.

20. Thurman Thomas

Position: Running back

Career: 1988-2000 (13 seasons)

Teams: Buffalo Bills 1988-99), Miami Dolphins (2000)

Hall of Fame: 2007

First-team All-Pro: 2 (1990-91)

Pro Bowls: 5 (1989-93)

Super Bowl championships: None

Bottom Line: Thurman Thomas

This twin threat turned 30 before the 1996 season but still eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the final time. From that point on, Thurman Thomas' career went down, down, down, down in pursuit of the Super Bowl prize.

The 34-year-old was a shell of his former self when he finally retired as a Dolphin four years later.

19. Elvin Bethea

Position: Defensive end

Career: 1968-83 (16 seasons)

Teams: Houston Oilers

Hall of Fame: 2003

First-team All-Pro: None

Pro Bowls: 8 (1969, 1971-75, 1978-79)

Super Bowl championships: None

Bottom Line: Elvin Bethea

In his final four seasons, this edge rusher went from a Pro Bowler with a wild-card team to an average starter with a non-contender to a 37-year-old reserve with a really, really bad team in need of fresh blood.

See, when the bar is so low and the money so easy, it’s difficult to walk out the door.

18. Ken Stabler

Position: Quarterback

Career: 1970-84 (15 seasons)

Teams: Oakland Raiders (1970-79), Houston Oilers (1980-81), New Orleans Saints (1982-84)

Hall of Fame: 2016

First-team All-Pro: 2 (1974, 1976)

Pro Bowls: 4 (1973-74, 1976-77)

Super Bowl championships: 1 (1976)

Bottom Line: Ken Stabler

This late-night terror was done at 36 years old. (That’s 54, according to the Kenny Stabler Quarterback Exchange Rate.)

But he left H-town to reunite with coach Bum Phillips in New Orleans, where the Aints won 19 games in their three seasons together.

"Snake" Stabler in N’awlins was like Attila the Hun at a Roman meat market.

17. Deion Sanders

Position: Cornerback, punt returner

Career: 1989-2000, 2004-05 (14 seasons)

Teams: Atlanta Falcons (1989-93), San Francisco 49ers (1994), Dallas Cowboys (1995-1999), Washington Redskins (2000), Baltimore Ravens (2004-05)

Hall of Fame: 2011

First-team All-Pro: 6 (1992-94, 1996-98)

Pro Bowls: 8 (1991-94, 1996-99)

Super Bowl championships: 2 (1994, 1995)

Bottom Line: Deion Sanders

The 33-year-old retired after one above-average season in a Washington Redskins uni. Deion Sanders stayed that way for three years, only to sign consecutive one-year, $1.5-million deals with the Ravens to be a nickel back.

"I prepare to win it all, and that's one of the reasons I'm here," he said. Predictably, Prime Time morphed into Past His Prime, and the Ravens finished 9-7 and 6-10 in the next two seasons.

16. Carl Eller

Position: Defensive end

Career: 1964-79 (16 seasons)

Teams: Minnesota Vikings (1964-78), Seattle Seahawks (1979)

Hall of Fame: 2004

First-team All-Pro: 5 (1968-71, 1973)

Pro Bowls: 6 (1968-71, 1973-74)

Super Bowl championships: None

Bottom Line: Carl Eller

This pass-rush specialist played so long, he could have changed his name to Carl Elder.

Rather than bow out gracefully with the organization that drafted him, he pulled up stakes instead.

The 37-year-old played out the string as a part-time starter in the Pacific Northwest, where he was woefully out of place with a young defense.

15. Darrell Green

Position: Cornerback, punt returner

Career: 1983-2002 (20 seasons)

Teams: Washington Redskins

Hall of Fame: 2008

First-team All-Pro: 4 (1986, 1987, 1990, 1991)

Pro Bowls: 7 (1984, 1986-87, 1990-91, 1996-97)

Super Bowl championships: 2 (1987, 1991)

Bottom Line: Darrell Green

The fastest man in football also was among the slowest to leave it.

While still productive at 37 years of age, Darrell Green was on borrowed time.

The Ageless Wonder played five more seasons, the final three as a reserve with ordinary teams.

14. Art Shell

Art Shell blocking against the New York Jets — Art Shell, No. 78, was a blocking machine.

Position: Offensive tackle

Career: 1968-82 (15 seasons)

Teams: Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders

Hall of Fame: 1989

First-team All-Pro: 2 (1974, 1977)

Pro Bowls: 8 (1972-78, 1980)

Super Bowl championships: 2 (1976, 1980)

Bottom Line: Art Shell

By the time the Raidahs moved to Southern California after the 1981 season, Art Shell's best days were in the rearview mirror.

But the 36-year-old backup made the move south, where his streak of 168 consecutive starts came to an unceremonious conclusion in a strike-shortened season.

13. Jackie Slater

Position: Offensive tackle

Career: 1976-95 (20 seasons)

Teams: Los Angeles Rams

Hall of Fame: 2001

First-team All-Pro: None

Pro Bowls: 7 (1983, 1985-90)

Super Bowl championships: None

Bottom Line: Jackie Slater

There was no quit in this guy, all right.

The big fella maxed out at age 36, but Jackie Slater played five more seasons, when he did little more than take up a roster spot with bad teams.

12. Warren Moon

Position: Quarterback

Career: 1984-2000 (17 seasons)

Teams: Houston Oilers (1984-93), Minnesota Vikings (1994-96), Seattle Seahawks (1997-98), Kansas City Chiefs (1999-2000)

Hall of Fame: 2006

First-team All-Pro: 1 (1990)

Pro Bowls: 9 (1988-95, 1997)

Super Bowl championships: None

Bottom Line: Warren Moon

The movie "Bad Moon" was about a Pacific Northwest photojournalist who turned into a werewolf at night. It could have been about a Seattle has-been who became a nightmare of a quarterback on Sundays.

Warren Moon's final three seasons were a horror show — 5-7 record and 54.6 pass completion percentage.

11. Richard Dent

Position: Defensive end

Career: 1983-97 (15 seasons)

Teams: Chicago Bears (1983-93, 1995), Philadelphia Eagles (1994), Indianapolis Colts (1996), Philadelphia Eagles (1997)

Hall of Fame: 2011

First-team All-Pro: 4 (1984-85, 1988, 1990)

Pro Bowls: 4 (1944-95, 1988, 1990)

Super Bowl championships: 2 (1985, 1994)

Bottom Line: Richard Dent

The Super Bowl XX Most Valuable Player was known as "The Colonel" in his prime.

The guy hung on for so long, he was demoted to second lieutenant before retirement.

Richard Dent's final four seasons were spent as a broken-down pass-rush specialist with four different teams.

10. Len Dawson

Position: Quarterback

AFL/NFL Career: 1957-1975 (19 seasons)

AFL/NFL teams: Pittsburgh Steelers (1957-59), Cleveland Browns (1960-61), Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs (1962-75)

Hall of Fame: 1987

AFL/NFL first-team All-Pro: 2 (1962, 1966)

AFL All-Star Games/Pro Bowls: 7 (1962, 1964, 1966-69, 1971)

AFL/Super Bowl championships: 4 (1962, 1966, 1969)

Bottom Line: Len Dawson

Lenny "The Cool" Dawson thought he could play forever. So did the front office, apparently.

In five consecutive drafts (1969 to 1973), the Chiefs neglected to draft a quarterback before the sixth round despite his advanced age. After a 7-11-1 record in three injury-riddled seasons, the 40-year-old finally had enough, but there was no suitable replacement.

There would be no playoff victories in Kansas City over the next 15 seasons, either.

9. Jerry Kramer

Position: Offensive tackle, placekicker

Career: 1958-68 (11 seasons)

Teams: Green Bay Packers

Hall of Fame: 2018

First-team All-Pro: 5 (1960, 1962-63, 1966, 1967)

Pro Bowls: 3 (1962-63, 1967)

NFL/Super Bowl championships: 7 (1961-62, 1965-67)

Bottom Line: Jerry Kramer

This guy could have went out a Super Bowl winner in the final game of the Lombardi era. One week after he executed an iconic block on the final play of the Ice Bowl. Really, how cool would that have been?

But nooooo, Jerry Kramer returned for one nightmare season, which he spent at odds with line coach Ray Wietecha with a 6-7-1 team.

As Kramer's much-abused body would probably agree, it was one too many.

8. Emmitt Smith

Position: Running back

Career: 1990-2004 (15 seasons)

Teams: Dallas Cowboys (1990-2002), Arizona Cardinals (2003-04)

Hall of Fame: 2010

First Team All-Pro: 4 1992-95

Pro Bowls: 8 (1990-95, 1998-99)

Super Bowl championships: 3 (1992, 1993, 1995)

Bottom Line: Emmitt Smith

Mamas, don’t let your Triplets grow up to be ex-Cowboys. Michael Irvin stayed in Big D. Troy Aikman, too.

After the organization released the No. 1 ground gainer in league history after 13 seasons, he signed with the sad-sack Cardinals rather than ride off into the sunset.

"In my mind, I’m a 1,300-yard back, and I will be out to prove that," he said at the time. Turned out he was a 1,193-yard back. Over his final two uneventful seasons.

7. Franco Harris

Position: Running back

Career: 1972-1984 (13 seasons)

Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers (1972-83), Seattle Seahawks (1984)

Hall of Fame: 1990

First-team All-Pro: 1 (1977)

Pro Bowls: 9 (1972-80)

Super Bowl championships: 4 (1974, 1975, 1978, 1979)

Bottom Line: Franco Harris

At 33, the Stillers workhorse had a 1,000-yard season that left him 363 yards behind Jim Brown as the all-time ground gainer in NFL history. But when Franco Harris held out before the 1984 season, neither side would budge.

Rather than lower his demands or retire with his legacy intact, Harris headed to the Pacific Northwest, where he looked grossly out of place in navy and green.

It was a move that he and his old team would soon regret. He played in only eight more games and fell short of the record.

6. Sonny Jurgensen

Position: Quarterback

Career: 1957-1974 (18 seasons)

Teams: Philadelphia Eagles (1957-1963), Washington Redskins (1964-74)

Hall of Fame: 1983

First-team All-Pro: 2 (1961, 1969)

Pro Bowls: 5 (1961, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1969)

NFL/Super Bowl championships: 1 (1960)

Bottom Line: Sonny Jurgensen

This pot-bellied member of the Over The Hill Gang wanted an ever-elusive league championship with the Redskins in the worst way. It’s just that, at age 40, he almost required a walker to remain upright in the pocket.

In his final game, he came off the bench to throw a killer pick-six and be sacked three times in the divisional playoff round. On 13 drop-backs.

That’s no way for an all-time gunslinger to go out, people, no way at all.

5. Lou Groza

Position: Offensive tackle, placekicker

AAFC-NFL career: 1946-67 (21 seasons)

Teams: Cleveland Browns

Hall of Fame: 1974

AAFC/NFL first-team All-Pro: 4 (1952-55)

Pro Bowls: 9 (1950-55, 1957-59)

AAFC/NFL/Super Bowl championships: 8 (1946-50, 1954-55, 1964)

Bottom Line: Lou Groza

At 41, "The Toe" had a remarkable 1965 season, but really, how much longer could Lou Groza fool Father Time?

His reluctance to get out while the gettin’ was good might have cost the Brownies a playoff berth or more.

In the next two seasons, he bricked 11 field goals in five losses that helped decide close East Conference races.

4. Jackie Smith

Position: Tight end

Career: 1963-78 (16 seasons)

Teams: St. Louis Cardinals (1963-77), Dallas Cowboys (1978)

Hall of Fame: 1994

First-team All-Pro: None

Pro Bowls: 5 (1966-70)

Super Bowl championships: None

Bottom Line: Jackie Smith

This borderline Hall of Famermaxed out at 30 years of age in the 1970 season, but he couldn’t take a hint and hung on for eight more seasons.

Or just long enough to gag in his final game. The 38-year-old muffed what should have been a gimme touchdown in Super Bowl XIII, an all-time gaffe that would become his legacy.

3. Joe Namath

Position: Quarterback

AFL/NFL Career: 1965-1977 (13 seasons)

AFL/NFL teams: New York Jets (1965-76), Los Angeles Rams (1977)

Hall of Fame: 1985

AFL/NFL first-team All-Pro: 1 (1968)

AFL All-Star Games/Pro Bowls: 5 (1965, 1967–69, 1972)

AFL/Super Bowl championships: 2 (1968)

Bottom Line: Joe Namath

Had "Broadway Joe" been near his prime, a move to Hollywood might have been plausible. But, no, not at 33 years of age, not with two bum knees and a 4-17 record to show for the two previous seasons.

In his final game, Joe Willie threw four interceptions in a loss against the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football.

Don’t you just hate when old age treats heroes like this?

2. Johnny Unitas

Position: Quarterback

Career: 1956-73 (18 seasons)

Teams: Baltimore Colts (1956-72), San Diego Chargers (1973)

Hall of Fame: 1979

First-team All-Pro: 5 (1958-59, 1964-65, 1967)

Pro Bowls: 10 (1957-64, 1966, 1967)

NFL/Super Bowl championships: 4 (1958-59, 1968, 1970)

Bottom Line: Johnny Unitas

The classic Chargers unis are the best in pro football history, it says here. Only the legendary Johnny U ever looked bad in one.

So close was his connection to the Colts and Baltimore, he shouldn’t have been allowed to leave them. Sure, he surpassed the career 40,000-yard mark with the Bolts, but that didn’t affect his legacy one iota.

Seriously, every time we see "Chargers" at the bottom of his resume, I want to take Wite-Out to it.

1. Junior Seau

Position: Linebacker

Career: 1990-2009 (20 seasons)

Teams: San Diego Chargers (1990-2002), Miami Dolphins (2003-05), New England Patriots (2006-09)

Hall of Fame: 2015

First-team All-Pro: 8 (1991-96, 1998, 2000)

Pro Bowls: 12 (1991-2002)

Super Bowl championships: None

Bottom Line: Junior Seau

Junior Seau's pursuit of a Super Bowl title kept him in the NFL a full six years past his prime — he came agonizingly close but ultimately came up short. His life after football was a constant struggle with post-concussion syndrome and he ultimately committed suicide three years after he retired. He was found to have degenerative brain disease linked directly to the amount of hits he took and doled out during his career — at what point could he have stepped away from football and saved his own life?