NFL Aging Curves
When does each position peak, and how fast does it fall off? Every player's per-snap production is scaled to his own best season, so the curve measures aging as a shape — not which stars happened to be young. Snap-count era, 2012+.
Peak Age by Position
| Position | Peak age | Drop by +5 yrs | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defensive Backs | 21 | −10.9 (by 26) | 2,862 |
| Running Backs | 21 | −10 (by 26) | 1,034 |
| Quarterbacks | 24 | −5.9 (by 29) | 472 |
| Wide Receivers | 25 | −9.4 (by 30) | 1,703 |
| Tight Ends | 25 | −9 (by 30) | 1,030 |
| Edge Rushers | 25 | −2.9 (by 30) | 1,908 |
| Interior D-Line | 25 | −3.6 (by 30) | 1,298 |
| Linebackers | 32 | −0 (by 32) | 1,408 |
Drop = points of peak-relative index lost five years after the peak age (100 = a player's own best season).
Curves
Defensive Backspeaks at 21
Running Backspeaks at 21
Quarterbackspeaks at 24
Wide Receiverspeaks at 25
Tight Endspeaks at 25
Edge Rusherspeaks at 25
Interior D-Linepeaks at 25
Linebackerspeaks at 32