How the Hell did George Blanda play for 26 years?

[Hoosierdome93]

Simply put..

How?

[akcolt]

The last 5 he just kicked Morten Anderson almost broke his record. His most accurate year was his last 2007 was 25/28.  It is very impressive for both more so for Blanda factoring in the QB

 

Blanda I am going to go out on a limb and say was a tough old sob. 

[alawai]

Doug Atkins was another tough SOB!

[akcolt]

Out of curiosity I went to see who had played the most games ever in the NFL Morten Anderson was first with 382 games played. He kicked his first field goal at Ben Davis High School right there in Indianapolis. Funny for such a small state a lot of sports history can be found there.  Anderson has a great story only one year of high school ball only played because they didn't have soccer. 

 

The only non kickers in the top 10 were Blanda 4th with 340 then Jerry Rice 6th at 303 and Favre at 302.

 

I was surprised I didn't realize Jerry Rice played for 20 years.

 

Most among active players Adam Vinatieri at 277 I think to lazy to go back. I am pretty sure the site I was looking at only counted regular season games not positive.

[Synthetic]

The last 5 he just kicked Morten Anderson almost broke his record. His most accurate year was his last 2007 was 25/28.  It is very impressive for both more so for Blanda factoring in the QB

 

Blanda I am going to go out on a limb and say was a tough old sob. 

 

Morten Andersen was one of my favorites growing up, and he's still beloved amongst Saints fans.

 

 

In his 1992 season he was 3/3 for 50+ yarders, and his 1995 season in Atlanta, he made 8 out of 9 field goals for more than 50 yards.

 

Kickers deserve to be in the Hall of Fame too, I hope he gets in there one day.

 

[BloodyChamp]

Blanda was 1 of if not the favorite player of John Madden. Madden always talked about him on commentary, particularly about how he cut him in favor of a younger kicker with a stronger leg who went on to miss a short kick under pressure to lose the playoff game that season. Finally getting cut was actually the only reason Blanda retired. He was also a tough as leather Y.A Tittle type quarterback who didn't always win, didn't always lose and didn't ever win pretty lol!

My favorite Morten Anderson moment (Jim Mora!) was the Saints MNF game when his home crowd booed him louder than The Iron Shiek after another promising drive that stalled. Then they busted out a fake FG for a TD. This *might* have been the same game that they cheered Wade Wilson's broken leg?

[oldunclemark]

Simply put..

How?

He was a QB and a kicker..last 5 years just a kicker

They don't get hit much..

How long has Adam Vinatieri played?

[akcolt]

 

He was a QB and a kicker..last 5 years just a kicker

They don't get hit much..

How long has Adam Vinatieri played?

19 years for Adam lead active players in games  played.  Jerry Rice was the one that surprised me from the list.

[PrincetonTiger]

In Blanda you could fill two roster spots with one player

[oldunclemark]

19 years for Adam lead active players in games  played.  Jerry Rice was the one that surprised me from the list.

I think Adam is still in his prime...he hasn't missed an extra point in 4 years and he's good from 50 yards on in..

He could play 5 more years easy..

[akcolt]

I think Adam is still in his prime...he hasn't missed an extra point in 4 years and he's good from 50 yards on in..

He could play 5 more years easy..

I agree he can play as long as he wants. I think one more ring might send him off into the sunset.

[Poster X]

Out of curiosity I went to see who had played the most games ever in the NFL Morten Anderson was first with 382 games played. He kicked his first field goal at Ben Davis High School right there in Indianapolis. Funny for such a small state a lot of sports history can be found there.  Anderson has a great story only one year of high school ball only played because they didn't have soccer. 

 

The only non kickers in the top 10 were Blanda 4th with 340 then Jerry Rice 6th at 303 and Favre at 302.

 

I was surprised I didn't realize Jerry Rice played for 20 years.

 

Most among active players Adam Vinatieri at 277 I think to lazy to go back. I am pretty sure the site I was looking at only counted regular season games not positive.

Blanda played at a time when they played fewer games in a season. So that is probably the only thing keeping him from the most games played without look at the info on injuries, and whatnot.

[Poster X]

I think Adam is still in his prime...he hasn't missed an extra point in 4 years and he's good from 50 yards on in..

He could play 5 more years easy..

Adam is kicking it from beyond 50 in practice... I bet Pat is chomping at the bit to get a shot though.

[Valpo2004]

Out of curiosity I went to see who had played the most games ever in the NFL Morten Anderson was first with 382 games played. He kicked his first field goal at Ben Davis High School right there in Indianapolis. Funny for such a small state a lot of sports history can be found there.  Anderson has a great story only one year of high school ball only played because they didn't have soccer. 

 

The only non kickers in the top 10 were Blanda 4th with 340 then Jerry Rice 6th at 303 and Favre at 302.

 

I was surprised I didn't realize Jerry Rice played for 20 years.

 

Most among active players Adam Vinatieri at 277 I think to lazy to go back. I am pretty sure the site I was looking at only counted regular season games not positive.

 

That IMO is a huge part of the reason why he's considered the GOAT at the WR position.

 

If Megatron wants to be the GOAT he not only has to be really good and productive (which he has covered) he's also got to play for a long time.  

[CR91]

his diet. cigars and beer

[rsrobinson]

I remember as a kid seeing George Blanda play toward the end of his career. He was a tough old cobb who came off the bench a few times to help the Raiders win games at QB but mostly was just a kicker by then. That was back in the days when kickers kicked the ball straight on rather than soccer style and the goalposts were on the goalline.

Now you damn kids get off of my lawn!

[King Colt]

Blanda played in the ear of near zero body protection, few penalties for eye gouging and choking and kicking and biting. Roughing the punter, passer? What is that? Those guys were grossly under paid and still yearned for more. By comparison today's players are ping pong tuff.