The Oldest Athletes You Thought Were Out Of The Game But They Are Still Playing & Winning

Being a professional athlete is definitely not easy. It requires numerous years of training, extreme motivation, and superb fitness levels. Many star athletes have spent their entire life preparing, both physically and mentally, to stay at a professional level. Maintaining your status as a star is just as difficult. As the years go by, their physical skills start wearing out. There are some athletes whose passion for the game is so strong they’ve managed to defy all odds and play more years than anyone originally expected. This list will show you some of the greatest examples of athletes whose body followed their heart: a heart that told them to keep playing till the last moment.

Gary Player – 83, Golfer in the PGA Tour

Gary Player is truly an extraordinary man and an even better golf player. He’s won nine championship tours, while he’s also managed to record nine Champions Tour major championship wins. The “Black Knight”, as he’s often called, hasn’t retired yet even if he’s now 83. Player also runs the Black Knight International, with business ventures in golf academies, wine, real estate, and more. He’s also funded the construction of many new schools in his home country of South Africa. Sadly, he’s going through some personal struggles right now. In early 2019, his son, Wayne, was arrested for financial fraud. Wayne says it’s all a misunderstanding. Is it, though?

Julio Franco – 60, Hitting Coach in the KBO League

Julio Franco played for several MLB teams. But nobody will ever forget his stint with the Atlanta Braves in 2007, where he became the 5th oldest player to play in the MLB. He was 49 at the time. He also played for the Fort Worth Cats in 2014. While a year later, he moved to the Ishikawa Million Stars in Japan, where he served both as a player and a manager. He’s currently in retirement, but only as a player, as he currently works for the Korean team Lotte Giants as a hitting coach. In 2018, he stat ed that he believes that he would still be able to play, if he wanted to.

Triple H – 47, Wrestler in the WWE

Ever since he stepped into the ring in the mid-’90s, Triple H has been a formidable force in the field of wrestling. He’s the third-most-celebrated WWE wrestler when it comes to World Championships, having won 14 of them. Born Paul Michael Levesque, he is married to Stephanie McMahon who is the daughter of WWE’s main stockholder and CEO, Vince McMahon. Stephanie is also the company’s Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events, and Creative. In a match at the 2018 Crown Jewel Event, he tore his pectoral muscle and had to undergo surgery and extensive treatment.

Kazuyoshi Miura – 52, Forward in the J. League

Imagine what a fitness beast you have to be in order to play soccer professionally at 52. Kazuyoshi Miura is one of the first Japanese soccer superstars, and he was honored with the Asian Footballer of the Year Award in 1993. “King Kazu” has been playing since 1986, and he’s not willing to stop yet. In 2019, he signed a new contract with the Yokohama FC. In 2012, he also started playing futsal with the Japanese national team. Everyone wonders how he can still play at such a high level, while soccer fans in Japan worship him as a sports idol.

Jaromir Jagr – 47, Right Winger in the 1st Czech Republic Hockey League

Jaromir Jagr was the youngest player to get a contract in the NHL back in 1990. He was just 18. For many years, he was the second leading scorer in the league until Sydney Crosby surpassed him in March 2019.  He’s played for numerous NHL teams, and he’s also a part of the Triple Gold Club for having won a Stanley Cup, an Olympic gold medal, and an Ice Hockey World Championship. He currently plays for HC Kladno, a professional team in his home country of the Czech Republic. With his health and fitness in top shape, it’s no wonder a legend like him still plays at a high level at age 47. 

LaTroy Hawkins – 46, Special Assistant in the MLB

A talented pitcher, LaTroy Hawkins made a deal with the Minnesota Twins just when he graduated from high school in 1995. His earnings skyrocketed after contracts with many different teams, while he also managed to reach the World Series in 2007 with the Colorado Rockies. In 2015, he announced his retirement. Back then, he was the oldest active player in the MLB, being 42. He was playing for the Toronto Blue Jays at the time. Hawkins didn’t retire from baseball entirely, though. A year later, he was signed to the Minnesota Twins as a special assistant.

Adam Vinatieri – 46, Placekicker in the NFL

Adam Vinatieri might be 46 years old, but numerous NFL players envy his kicking accuracy and power. Vinatieri has managed to win four Super Bowls; three with the New England Patriots and one with the Indianapolis Colts, the team for which he currently plays. He’s still one of the best placekickers in the league, so imagine how many hours he spends at the gym. Moreover, in January 2019, he signed a contract extension with the Colts for one more year. He’s widely regarded as one of the best players in the history of the game when it comes to his kicking skills and his ability to stay focused under extreme pressure.

Phil Dawson – 44, Placekicker in the NFL

Going from one placekicker to another! Phil Dawson is currently the second oldest player in the NFL, with only Vinatieri being older than him. Dawson is currently a free agent. In 2018, he was severely injured and was forced to be put in an injury reserve. At that time, he was playing for the Arizona Cardinals. Dawson holds the record for most field goals made by a Cleveland Browns player. He’s famous for the “Phil Dawson Rule”, a modification in the league rules regarding kicks hitting the crossbar after he received a missed call by the refs in 2007. After receiving treatment, he’s now recovered and is searching for his next team.

Tom Brady – 41, Quarterback in the NFL

Tom Brady is the absolute NFL superstar. In February 2019, he broke the record for most Super Bowls won by an NFL player after winning his sixth one with the New England Patriots. He’s spent his whole career as a Patriot, and he’s regarded by many to be the best quarterback of all time. Brady’s used to living under the spotlight, as, apart from his football career, his marriage to supermodel Gisele Bundchen only made him more famous. He currently sits on a $180 million net worth, which will definitely only increase over time.

Vince Carter – 42, Guard in the NBA

Vince Carter debuted his NBA career in 1999 after being drafted by the Toronto Raptors. It was one year later, though, that absolute “Vinceanity” happened when he won the Slam Dunk contest with some gravity-defying dunks. He’s since played for several teams. And though he’s been an NBA All-Star eight times, he hasn’t won a championship. Yet, Carter is praised for his fitness level even at 42. He currently plays for the Atlanta Hawks. In a match versus the Miami Heat in March 2019, he became the oldest player in the league to play at least 45 minutes in a game.

Dirk Nowitzki – 40, Power Forward in the NBA

Dirk Nowitzki is the most praised European player in the NBA. He was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks back in 1998 when he was still playing in Germany. He’s helped the Mavericks reach the playoffs 15 times, with his career’s highlight being the team’s NBA Championship win in 2011—the only one the team has ever won. After signing a contract extension in 2018, he became the only player in the league who’s spent 21 seasons with the same team.  Nowitzki has also been included in the All-Star team fourteen times, and he’s been named the league’s MVP once. Everything is pointing out that retirement is close, but he’s not 100% sure yet.  

Pau Gasol – 38, Center in the NBA

Another European player who managed to leave his mark in the NBA is Pau Gasol. He was drafted in the NBA by the Memphis Grizzlies in 2001. After almost seven seasons with the team, he moved to the Los Angeles Lakers where he won two NBA titles. In 2019, he got traded to the Milwaukee Bucks; receiving $4.2 million from his previous team, the San Antonio Spurs. Apart from making serious money in the NBA, Gasol has also done incredible stuff with the Spanish National Team; having won a FIBA World Cup title, three Olympic Medals, and three EuroBasket titles.

Bartolo Colon – 45, Pitcher in the MLB

We’re amazed by how obsessed Bartolo Colon is with baseball. Though he’s currently a free agent, sources claim he wants to make his big comeback in 2019 at age 45. He’s already the oldest active player in the MLB! In 2018, he became the Latin American pitcher with the most wins in the history of the league. Colon has played for several teams, and he’s been a four-time MLB All-Star. Though he’s having trouble slimming down a bit in the last couple of years, he hasn’t lost his baseball touch and is still the experienced baseball player that he is.

Matt Cullen – 42, Center in the NHL

We don’t know how Matt Cullen does it. But at 42, he’s currently killing it on the rink. An experienced center, Cullen, currently plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins, with which he won the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017. He’s also won one more in 2006 with the Carolina Hurricanes. Cullen has also managed to win a bronze World Championship Medal with the US National Team. He’s currently the oldest active player in the NHL (though this could change if Jaromir Jagr returns to the States). In March 2019, it was reported that Cullen now has the opportunity to put another accolade in his portfolio, as he was nominated for the Masterton Trophy.

Zdeno Chára – 42, Defenceman in the NHL

Zdeno Chára is a household name in the NHL. And though he’s never won any titles, he’s still a very popular player. He was drafted by the New York Islanders in 1997 but moved to the Boston Bruins in 2006, where he has been serving as the team’s main defenceman since then. He’s currently the tallest player to have ever played in the NHL, standing at 6’9”. He’s also competed with the Slovakian national hockey team in several international tournaments. Though he’s known for his fitness level and muscular physique, he was injured in March 2019 after the puck hit his face. Fortunately, he recovered pretty quickly.

Julián Speroni – 39, Goalkeeper in the Premier League

Crystal Palace fans absolutely adore Julian Speroni. He debuted his professional career at Platense, the renowned Argentinian soccer club, but moved to the Crystal Palace in 2004 where he’s played since then. He’s managed to win the “Player of the Year” Award four times. He’s currently 39 years old and the oldest active player in the Premier League in England. However, he doesn’t play in the starting lineup anymore. In fact, in January 2019, he played his first game after sitting on the bench for 13 months. Still, Speroni never skips a day at the gym; playing in the Premier League at such an age is no joke.

Peyton Manning – 43, Retired

If there’s one man who’s considered a better quarterback than Tom Brady, it’s Peyton Manning. Manning had a wonderful NFL career, having played for the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos. He managed to win a Super Bowl with both of them, while he’s been a Pro Bowler 14 times as well as a 5-time NFL MVP. In 2016, Manning announced his retirement. In 2021, he will be eligible to be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame; with people believing that he’s definitely going to make it. When he retired, Manning was 39 years old.

Andre Miller – 43, Retired

People still wonder why Andre Miller didn’t receive the recognition he deserved. He’s played for almost half the teams in the NBA and is currently the 10th most prolific player the league has ever had when it comes to assists. He’s also scored over 16,000 points. But incredibly, he was never an All-star nor has he ever won an NBA Championship. Miller took extra care of his health and fitness and only missed three games throughout his 17-season career! We last saw him play in 2016 for the San Antonio Spurs. After that, he announced that he retired. 

Sergei Gonchar – 44, Assistant Coach in the NHL

Sergei Gonchar has been involved with the NHL since he was 20 years old. That’s when he made his professional debut in the league in 1994. He previously played in the Soviet Championship League. He’s played for many NHL teams, but his heyday came when he played for the Pittsburgh Penguins. In 2009, he won the Stanley Cup with them. Gonchar has actually managed to win the Stanley Cup with the Penguins both as a player and as a coach. Following his retirement in 2015, he’s been the head assistant coach of the Penguins; helping the team win the Cup in 2016 and 2017.

Chris Jericho – 48, Wrestler in the AEW

Following his wrestling debut back in the ’90s, Chris Jericho managed to become a wrestling star pretty soon. He competed in the ECW and WCW, before becoming a WWF champion in 2001. Moreover, he’s won the World Heavyweight Championship three times. Jericho is one of the most popular wrestlers thanks to his skills in the ring and his rock-star persona. Jericho, though, is not just interested in wrestling and exercise, as he’s also ventured in music and TV. He’s part of the American heavy metal band Fozzy and has hosted numerous Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards. In January 2019, Jericho announced that he had signed a 3-year deal with All Elite Wrestling. 

Mark Henry – 47, Wrestler in the WWE

Even at 47, Mark Henry’s image terrifies his opponents. He’s one of the most fearsome wrestlers in the WWE, but he wasn’t always involved in wrestling. Originally, Henry was a powerlifter and weightlifter back in the ’90s. He was one of the most prominent figures in the field of bodybuilding. He’s managed to compete in two Olympics, while he’s won medals in the Pan American games. He engaged in wrestling in 1996, and he’s won the WWF European Championship title and the World Heavyweight Championship title twice. In 2018, Henry was honored by being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Matt Hardy – 44, Wrestler in the WWE

When it comes to WWE superstars, it would be impossible not to mention Matt Hardy. Since breaking into the wrestling scene in the ’90s, Hardy managed to gain popularity for his gimmicky stunts and characters. Incredibly, he’s won thirteen tag team World Championships. As a solo wrestler, he’s also bagged three World Championship titles. We last saw him perform in a February 2019 episode of SmackDown, where he won against Cesaro and Sheamus alongside his brother Jeff. Though he’s currently 44, retirement is definitely not on his mind and we guess we’ll be seeing him perform for many more years.

Jeff Hardy – 41, Wrestler in the WWE

Though Jeff Hardy is a bit younger than his brother Matt, he knows that his fitness levels have to be pretty high in order to perform at 41 years old. Hardy has won eleven tag team World Championship titles with Matt, while he’s also won six Heavyweight Championship titles as a solo wrestler. He’s one of the most acclaimed wrestlers in the history of WWE, as well as one of the most popular ones. Hardy has also ventured into music, playing for a band called PeroxWhy?Gen. The band has released three studio albums, with the most recent one being the 2017 record Precession of the Equinoxes. 

Kasey Keller – 49, Color Commentator in the Major League Soccer

Kasey Keller is one of American soccer’s true heroes. As a goalkeeper, he was the first American player who managed to become successful in European leagues, having played for clubs like Rayo Vallecano, Tottenham Hotspur, and Fulham. In 2008, he made his comeback in the MLS by signing a contract with the Seattle Sounders. He then announced his retirement in 2011 at 41 years old. Since then, he’s occasionally worked as a color commentator for the Sounders, while he’s also served as assistant coach for US National Soccer Teams. He now serves as head coach of the Newport High School Boys Soccer in Bellevue, Washington.

Mariano Rivera – 49, Retired

Mariano Rivera had some wonderful performances with the New York Yankees, the only team he played for during his 17-season career. Rivera remains one of the biggest stars in baseball, having been an All-Star thirteen times and having won the World Series five times. Despite having been retired since 2013, he still holds numerous records in the MLB. At the time of his retirement, Rivera was 43 years old and was one of the oldest active players of his time. In 2019, a woman accused Rivera of not paying child support for two children they had conceived out of wedlock, and five lawsuits were filed against him. However, he didn’t confirm the truth of allegations.

Tim Wakefield – 52, Retired

Tim Wakefield is one of the biggest players to have worn the Red Sox jersey, and the team’s fans absolutely adore him. Though he never won a World Series, he’s currently known for being second in all-time wins in the franchise’s history—with only Roger Clemens ahead of him. Wakefield was also nominated for the Roberto Clemente Award eight times and won it once. He’s among the top praised pitchers in the MLB. Since his retirement in 2011, he’s engaged in many different business ventures. He once owned a restaurant, which eventually closed down. Wakefield is currently 52.

Arthur Rhodes – 49, Retired

Arthur Rhodes never was a huge name in the MLB, but he had a successful career with many contracts with different teams. He was originally drafted by the Baltimore Orioles back in 1998, and he then went on to sign contracts with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, and other teams. His earnings were pretty high, contrary to the number of his All-star appearances, as Rhodes played in the All-Star Game just once. The last time we saw him play was for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011, when he was 41. He then decided to retire. 

Jamie Moyer – 56, Retired

Another player who shined in the MLB despite his age is Jamie Moyer. Moyer played for many different teams in his career, but he was most successful with the Texas Mariners. That’s why he was inducted in the team’s Hall of Fame in 2015. He holds many records and was the oldest player in the MLB when he retired. When it comes to his memories and accomplishments in the MLB, Moyer wrote all about them in his memoir, Just Tell Me I Can’t: How Jamie Moyer Defied the Radar Gun and Defeated Time. After so many years in the league, he has probably managed to make some good retirement investments.

Phil Mickelson – 48, Golfer in the PGA Tour

Phil Mickelson might be younger than other golfers, but maintaining your precision and golfing skills at a competitive level when you’re 48 requires a lot of exercise. Mickelson is one of the greatest golfers ever, and he’s won three of the four major competitions: the Masters Tournament, the PGA Championship, and the Open Championship. Only 15 other golfers have achieved that. The U.S. Open is the only one he hasn’t won yet, but he’s finished in second place six times. The year 2019 started off pretty well for Mickelson, who won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Tournament in February.

Tiger Woods – 43, Golfer in the PGA Tour

Tiger Woods made his first appearance as a professional golfer back in 1996. Just one year later, Woods marked three PGA Tour Events wins and won the 1997 Masters. He was only 21 years old. He’s been undoubtedly one of the greatest golfers ever, despite his long hiatus and his highly publicized marital scandal with his ex-wife Elin Nordegren. He’s not number 1 in the world anymore, but that doesn’t change the fact that he has fourteen major gold championships and a mindblowing $800 million net worth. In March 2019, he lost to Lucas Bjerregaard at the WGC Match Play, with people believing that this will motivate him to step up at the upcoming Majors.