The 2023 LA Chargers are a relatively young team. While there are some players over the age of 30 that are serving as the veterans, the team is mostly comprised of younger players led by a young quarterback in Justin Herbert.
For the most part, fans don't see the extremely old players in the NFL as they do in basketball or in baseball. Unless you are a star quarterback like Tom Brady, your NFL career typically is guaranteed to end by 35.
That being said, there have been some elder statesmen in Chargers history that put on the powder blue at an older age. Here are the oldest that have ever done it.
The 11 oldest players in Chargers history:
Why 11? Well, there were 11 players that played for the team at 38 years old or older, so we had to go up by one instead of doing a traditional top-10. We also are not counting a player multiple times if they played multiple seasons above the age of 38, for obvious reasons.
11. Ed White, 38, 1985
Ed White had a long 17-year career that was split between the Minnesota Vikings. White played the second half of his career with the Chargers, retiring after playing at the age of 38 in 1985.
10. Philip Rivers, 38, 2019
Philip Rivers would last one more year in the NFL, playing his age-39 season with the Indianapolis Colts. As of right now, he is the greatest quarterback in Chargers franchise history (although Justin Herbert could surpass him in another 15 years).
9. Donnie Jones, 38, 2018
Donnie Jones has one of the most forgettable Chargers tenures of anyone on this list. For those that do not remember, Jones served as the Chargers punter in 2018 for 12 games. Jones had a long and fruitful career but it is easy to forget about a punter who only played 12 games for LA.
8. Antonio Gates, 38, 2018
Antonio Gates is undoubtedly on the Chargers Mount Rushmore as one of the best players to ever do it. He revolutionized the tight end position to help usher in the generation that fans are watching today. He officially hung it up after the 2018 season at the age of 38.
7. David Binn, 38, 2010
David Binn was a long-time long snapper for the Chargers but he barely made this list. Binn played all 17 years of his career for the Chargers but played in just one game in 2010 after suffering an injury in Week 1.
6. Darren Bennett, 38, 2003
Darren Bennett was one of the best punters in the 1990s and he was certainly the most unique as he came over from Australian rugby and made his debut for the Chargers at the age of 30. Bennett lasted nearly a decade with the Chargers, last playing in 2003 at the age of 38.
5. Charlie Joiner, 39, 1986
Charlie Joiner is one of the best wide receivers in franchise history even though he did not join the Chargers until the age of 29. While the Bolts missed out on the early portion of Joiner's career, the team still got a decade of his services.
4. Ethan Albright, 39, 2010
Ethan Albright is another player on this list that is absolutely forgettable. He had a long 16-year career that ended with a two-game stint on the Chargers at the age of 39. But hey, he still makes the list.
3. Johnny Unitas, 40, 1973
Yes, Johnny Unitas was a member of the Chargers. Any time that is brought up it is bound to surprise some readers as Unitas played five games for the Chargers at the age of 40 after a Hall of Fame career with the Baltimore Colts.
2. Doug Flutie, 42, 2004
Doug Flutie would have taken most of these spots if we counted every single season that he played for the team. After a long stint in the CFL and then a stint with the Buffalo Bills, Flutie first joined the Chargers at 39 years old. He last started for the Bolts in 2004 at 42.
1. Ben Agajanian, 45, 1964
If you are not dusted up on your very old football history then you will have no idea who Ben Agajanian is. Agajanian was a kicker who first played pro ball in 1945 for the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers. After his one-year stint with the Chargers in 1960, Agajanian returned to the Bolts in 1965 at the age of 45 to end his football career.