List of NFL players by games played

Playing in the NFL is one of the most physically demanding sports. The players are exposed to many hard hits and are often injured. This plus given the fact the NFL is highly competitive, and there is a large group of talented players wanting to take the place of those who are injured or no longer able to perform at a high level, most careers are not long. The average length of a player's career in the National Football League is relatively short compared to other sports. One study shows the average career lasts around 3.3 years. Kickers and punters careers average 4.87 seasons. On the other end, the shortest average careers are the running backs, only 2.57 seasons. According to data compiled by another study, quarterbacks and offensive linemen are next on the list with average career spans of 4.44 and 3.63 seasons, respectively. Defensive linemen usually have longer careers than linebackers and cornerbacks. Wide receivers careers average just above running backs at 2.81 seasons
Some players avoid injury and maintain their high skill level. The following list has the top 250 players who have the most regular season game appearances. All have played at least a dozen seasons in the league. One player, George Blanda played in 4 decades from the 1940s to the 1970s. Blanda played 26 seasons and was 48 years old when he retired.

All-time most appearances

Regular season only:

C	Center	G	Guard	NT	Nose Tackle	QB	Quarterback
CB	Cornerback	K	Placekicker	OL	Off. Lineman	RB	Running Back
DE	Defensive End	KR	Kick Returner	OT	Off. Tackle	S	Safety
DT	Defensive Tackle	LB	Linebacker	P	Punter	TE	Tight End
FB	Fullback	LS	Long Snapper	PR	Punt Returner	WR	Wide Receiver

If more than one position is listed for a player, the BOLD listing is his primary position. This list is sorted by 1) games played, 2) first year played, 3) last year played

Bold denotes an active player

Most games for that position^

Elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame*

Rank	Name	Position	Period	Games
1	*	K ^	1982–2007	382
2		K	1996–2019	365
3		K	1982–2004	353
4		P ^	1988–2009	352
5	*	K, QB	1949–1975	340
6		QB ^	2000–2022	335
7		K	1992–2012	327
8		K	1999–2018	305
9	*	WR ^	1985–2004	303
10		K	1988–2010	302
10	*	QB	1991–2010	302
12		K	1991–2011	301
13		K	1991–2009	297
13		P	2004–2022	297
15	*	OL ^	1983–2001	296
16	*	CB ^	1983–2002	295
17	'	TE ^	2006–present	290
18		QB	2001–2020	287
19		P	2000–2017	286
20		P	1985–2005	284
20		K	2000–2018	284
22		DE ^	1960–1979	282
23		LS ^, TE, LB	1983–2002	281
24	*	DE	1985–2003	279
25		LB ^	1978–1996	278
25	'	DE	2008–present	278
27	'	LS	2009–present	277
28		K	1982–1999	273
29	'	P	2009–present	272
30		TE	2003–2020	271
31	*	TE	1997–2013	270
32	'	K	2007–present	269
33	*	OT, K	1946–1967	268
33	*	LB	1990–2009	268
35	*	QB	1998–2015	266
35	*	DE, LB	2002–2018	266
35		K	2005–2022	266
38	'	QB	2005–present	264
39	*	K	1967–1985	263
39		OT ^	1985–2002	263
39		K	1993–2009	263
39		WR	2004–2020	263
43		G ^	1986–2005	262
44		K	2007–2023	261
44	'	LS	2010–present	261
46		K	1978–1996	260
46		LS	2004–2020	260
48	*	OT	1976–1995	259
48		P	1985–2002	259
50	'	K	2007–present	258
51		LS	1994–2010	256
51		LB	1998–2013	256
51		P	2006–2022₵	256
54		QB	1956–1976	255
54		WR	1984–2000	255
54	*	WR	1988–2004	255
54		P	2005–2021	255
58	*	S ^	1998–2015	254
59		LS	2005–2020	253
60		OT	1978–1994	251
61		K	1974–1991	250
61		K	1980–2000	250
61		S	1985–2000	250
61	'	LS	2010–present	250
65		QB	2004–2021	249
66		K	1984–2000	248
66		OT	2004–2023	248
68		QB	2004–2020, 2025	247
69	*	QB	1961–1978	246
69		C ^	1969–1986	246
69		C ^	1978–1994	246
72	*	C	1974–1990	245
72		LS	1998–2013	245
74		C	1980–1996	244
74		WR	1990–2006	244
74		P	1991–2006	244
74		P	1995–2011	244
74		LB	2003–2019	244
79		LB	1988–2003	243
79	'	DE	2011–present	243
81	*	QB	1983–1999	242
82		G	1969–1985	241
82		P	1994–2009	241
82	*	C	1994–2009	241
82	*	CB	1997–2012	241
82		K	2002–2019	241
82		RB ^	2005–2020	241
88		DE	1961–1978	240
88	*	C	1962–1978	240
88		K	1997–2012	240
91	*	WR	1969–1986	239
91		C	1989–2004	239
91		P	1989–2004	239
91		FB ^	1993–2008	239
91		OT, G	2006–2021	239
91		WR	2008–2023	239
91	'	QB	2009–present	239
98		P	1983–1998	238
98	*	CB, KR, PR, S	1987–2003	238
98		P	1990–2005	238
98		P	1997–2011	238
102		K	1998–2013	237
103		DE	1986–2000	236
103		NT ^	1991–2007	236
103		LS, C	1995–2010	236
103	*	TE	2003–2018	236
103		QB	2004–2019	236
108		K	1979–1995	235
108		TE	1982–1997	235
108		K	1997–2012	235
108		LS	2000–2015	235
112		K	1962–1978	234
112		OT	1980–1995	234
112	*	QB	1983–1998	234
112	*	WR	1985–2000	234
112	*	WR	1987–2002	234
112		LS	1992–2006	234
112		FB	1995–2010	234
112		S	1996–2010	234
112		QB	2008–2022	234
121	*	WR	1978–1993	233
121		P	1982–1997	233
121		QB	1987–2007	233
121	*	DE, LB	1997–2011	233
125	*	DE	1985–1999	232
125	*	DE	1985–2000	232
125	'	LB	2011–present	232
128		C	1987–2002	231
129		LB	1997–2011	230
129		WR	1997–2011	230
131		K	1990–2004	229
131		NT	1991–2007	229
131	'	P	2012–present	229
134		K	1964–1979	228
134		WR	1983–1998	228
134		C	1984–1999	228
134	*	LB	1985–1999	228
134	*	LB	1996–2012	228
134		S	2004–2019	228
134	'	DT	2011–present	228
141	*	LB	1981–1995	227
141		DE	1983–1997	227
141		OL	1985–2000	227
141		C	1997–2011	227
141	'	LB	2012–present	227
141	'	P	2012–present	227
147	*	S	1964–1979	226
147	*	RB	1990–2004	226
147		P	2004–2018	226
150	*	DE	1964–1979	225
150		CB	1983–1998	225
150		LB	1987–2002	225
150		LB	1998–2012	225
150		DE	2010–2024	225
155		QB	1962–1977	224
155		DE	1974–1989	224
155		DE, DT	1976–1990	224
155	*	WR	1980–1995	224
155		P	1987–2003	224
155		P	1990–2003	224
155	*	G	1993–2006	224
155	*	S	1993–2007	224
155	*	LB	1995–2008	224
155		DE	1995–2008	224
155	*	S	1996–2011	224
155		LS	2005–2018	224
167		G	1979–1994	223
167		KR^, PR	1990–2003	223
167	*	WR	1994–2009	223
167		P	2008–2022	223
171	*	RB	1982–1997	222
171	*	G	1988–2001	222
173		DE	2001–2014	221
173		CB	2003–2017	221
175		P, QB	1988–2004	220
175		TE, LS	1992–2006	220
175		OT	1992–2006	220
175		OT	2008–2023	220
179	*	DT ^	1990–2003	219
179		DT ^	1993–2009	219
179		OT	1994–2008	219
179	*	WR	1996–2010	219
179		LB	1998–2012	219
179		C	2001–2014	219
179		WR	2001–2016	219
179		K	2006–2020	219
179	'	LB	2012–present	219
188	*	QB	1957–1974	218
188	*	DT	1967–1981	218
188		OL	1980–1995	218
188		NT, DT	1982–1996	218
188		LS	1985–1999	218
188	*	WR	1998–2012	218
188	*	DE	2002–2017	218
195		P	1963–1978	217
195	*	G	1967–1981	217
195		OL	1973–1987	217
195		S	1983–1997	217
195	*	CB	1988–2001	217
195		WR	1998–2011	217
201		DT	1973–1988	216
201		CB	1975–1989	216
201		LB	1983–1996	216
201		KR, WR	1987–2000	216
201	*	DE	1993–2007	216
201		P	2009–2022	216
201		K	2009–2022	216
208	*	LB	1969–1983	215
208		LB	1979–1994	215
208		P	1984–1998	215
208	*	CB	1999–2013	215
208	'	LB	2012–present	215
208	'	DE	2010–present	215
208	'	LS	2012–present	215
215		CB	1989–2002	214
215		DE	1998–2012	214
215		NT	2006–2019	214
215	'	G	2012–present	214
219	*	CB	1961–1976	213
219		CB	1961–1977	213
219		K	1970–1986	213
219	*	DT	1980–1994	213
219		QB	1980–1998	213
219		G	1987–2000	213
219		DT	1987–2000	213
219		OL	1994–2007	213
219	'	LS	2012–present	213
228		P	1981–1996	212
228		TE	1982–1995	212
228		P	1984–1999	212
228		OT	1987–2000	212
228		LB	1991–2005	212
228		LB	1994–2008	212
228		K	2000–2013	212
228		LB	2004–2017	212
228		K	2012–2024	212
237	*	QB	1956–1973	211
237	*	QB	1957–1975	211
237		WR	1979–1993	211
237		RB	1984–1997	211
237		TE	1984–1997	211
237		C	1985–1999	211
237		DE	1989–2003	211
237	*	CB, S	1991–2004	211
237		C	1999–2012	211
237		K	2001–2014	211
237		WR	2001–2014	211
237		CB	2006–2020	211
249	*	C	1960–1974	210
249		K	1963–1977	210
249	*	TE	1963–1978	210
249	*	DE	1968–1983	210
249		K	1976–1989	210
249		C	1998–2012	210
Rank	Name	Position	Period	Games