Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson
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A high-profile Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs deal is already getting glowing reviews from NFL analysts and experts.
Back in March, two-time All-Pro guard Joe Thuney was traded from the Kansas City Chiefs to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round draft pick. He was going into his final season of a five-year, $80 million contract he inked with the Chiefs as a free agent in 2021.
Then, in May, the Chiefs signed Thuney to an extension worth $17.5 million per season, resulting in his new, three-year contract being worth $51 million with $33.5 million fully guaranteed.
Already, that investment is paying off, at least when it comes to pre-season predictions. Dalton Wasserman of PFF has a May 21 feature out naming the best NFL players over the age of 30, and Thuney makes the cut. “The NFL continues to see superstar talent enter the league at younger and younger ages,” he notes in the feature. “But there’s still plenty of room for the grizzled veterans to make a weekly impact.”
Best NFL Players Over 30, Including One of the Bears
Wasserman names Thuney as the No. 11 best player over 30 in the NFL and raves about what he can bring to the Windy Ceity.
“During his four seasons in Kansas City, Thuney earned the highest pass-blocking grade among qualified guards,” Wasserman notes in the piece. “Although his overall grade dipped slightly in 2024 due to an extended stretch at left tackle, his 90.4 pass-blocking grade as a guard would have led the NFL by a wide margin. That’s good news for his new quarterback, Caleb Williams, heading into Year 2.”
Wasserman’s pick for the No. 1 player over 30 in the NFL in 2025 is running back Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens. He’s 31, so he just barely made the age cut.
“Henry’s age-30 season was nothing short of outstanding,” Wasserman stated in the piece, adding that it includes the postseason, where “he led the NFL with a 93.5 rushing grade and forced 89 missed tackles — both league-highs. He continued to wear down defenses with 3.6 yards after contact per attempt. Until there’s clear evidence of decline, Henry and Lamar Jackson will remain the NFL’s most dangerous backfield duo.”
NFL Players Who Played Into Their 40s
So, what about NFL players who rocked it in their 40s? The NFL’s website names their favorite NFL player over 40 of all time as the legendary George Blanda, who retired in 1976 at the age of 48.
“Along the course of his storied 26-year career as a quarterback and kicker, George Blanda amassed a myriad of records, some better than others,” the NFL stated. “Brett Favre was able to surpass Blanda’s record for the most interceptions all-time. If Blanda were alive today he’d likely be rooting for Mark Sanchez to overtake his other unsightly record – 42 interceptions … in a single season.”
Their pick for No. 2 was Doug Flutie, who retired at 43, calling him “a diminutive quarterback by NFL standards” and someone who “won the hearts of many with his gutsy performances and craftiness on the field. In the twilight of his career, Flutie even drop kicked a football for an extra points while playing for the New England Patriots, something that hadn’t been done since 1941.”