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Super Bowl LX is set to kick off on Sunday, February 8th in California. The New England Patriots will face off against the Seattle Seahawks in a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX.
Much has changed since that 2014 contest. Russell Wilson and Tom Brady are no longer under center. Drake Maye and Sam Darnold now lead the charge.
One of those passers will have a chance to make NFL history.
Who are the oldest and youngest QBs to start a Super Bowl?
Maye will be just 23 years, 5 months, and 19 days old at the time the game kicks off. He will be the second youngest signal caller to ever start a Super Bowl.
He has a chance to be the youngest to ever win one when he takes the field in Super Bowl LX. He’ll have to do what most in his position have failed to do.
Let’s take a look at how he compares to others that have come before him.
Youngest QBs
Dan Marino (23 years old)
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Marino started his first and only Super Bowl in the 1984 season against the 49ers. He would lose that championship opportunity to Joe Montana.
The Dolphins lost the game, 38-16. Marino threw for 318 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.
While Miami would return to two more AFC Championship Games during Marino’s career, they’d go 0-2 with a pair of blowout losses. The Hall of Famer never got a second chance at a ring.
Ben Roethlisberger (23 years old)
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Roethlisberger is the youngest starting quarterback to ever win a Super Bowl, though he wasn’t all that impressive in the outing.
The quarterback completed just 9-of-23 attempts for a total of 123 yards. He did not throw a touchdown and was picked off twice by the Seahawks’ defense.
Still, the Steelers won the game. Roethlisberger was just 23 years and 340 days old at the time. He’d later go onto play for two more titles, winning one more ring in Super Bowl XLIII.
Brock Purdy (24 years old)
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Purdy led the 49ers to Super Bowl LVIII at the end of the 2023 season. He’d lose to a player that just missed the cut on this list in Patrick Mahomes.
Four years earlier, Mahomes won Super Bowl LIV at age 24. Purdy, too, was 24 when making his debut in the title game, though he entered about 100 days younger.
The 49ers would lose to the Chiefs 25-22 in overtime despite a 255-yard performance from their quarterback.
David Woodley (24 years old)
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Woodley was just 24 years and 97 days old when he appeared in Super Bowl XVII at the end of the 1982 campaign. Unfortunately for the Dolphins, he played like it.
The passer completed just 4 of his 14 attempts to total 97 passing yards with a pick and a touchdown. Miami fell to Washington, 27-17.
The loss would be his lone Super Bowl start. Due to health issues, he never attempted another pass in the playoffs before retiring three seasons later.
Jared Goff (24 years old)
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Goff led the Rams to Super Bowl LIII against the Patriots in 2018. He made that championship start at 24 years and 112 days old.
The signal caller was inconsistent in the game, completing 50% of his throws for 229 yards and a pick. That allowed New England to secure a 13-3 victory.
Goff has not returned to the Super Bowl, though he got close after changing teams. The quarterback mounted a run to the NFC Championship with the Lions in 2023 but fell to San Francisco by a field goal.
In total, these five youngsters went 1-4 in their Super Bowl debuts. Now, let’s turn it over to the veterans.
Oldest QBs
Tom Brady (43 years old)
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Brady would actually own four of the five spots on this list if going by age alone, having started Super Bowls at 39, 40, 41, and 43. To make the group a bit more inclusive, we’ll only list him once.
The latest of his Super Bowl starts came in the 2020 season against the Kansas City Chiefs. Then with the Bucs, Brady led his team to a 31-9 win behind a three-touchdown performance.
Interestingly enough, the legendary signal caller also nearly made the cut for the youngest category with his first Super Bowl start coming at age 24.
He’d go 7-3 across 10 title trips before hanging up the cleats in ’23.
Peyton Manning (39 years old)
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Manning led his team to a Super Bowl 50 appearance at the end of the 2015 NFL season. He’d already won a Super Bowl 10 years earlier as a member of the Indianapolis Colts before finishing his NFL career with four seasons in Denver.
In his final appearance, he led the Broncos to a championship win over the Panthers. He was 39 years and 320 days old at the time.
Had the game come just about a month later, Manning could’ve joined Brady as the only 40-plus Super Bowl starters.
John Elway (38 years old)
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Elway was no stranger to the Super Bowl as a younger star. In fact, he’d led the Broncos to three championship opportunities between 1986 and 1989.
Denver lost all three, however, with none being particularly close. Finally, in 1997, he broke through to pick up his first ring. That would be followed by another title in 1998.
His final Super Bowl start came at 38 years and 217 days old.
Johnny Unitas (37 years old)
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Though technically Peyton Manning was a few days older when making a trip to Super Bowl XLVIII, he’s already been named on this list. So, we’ll default to the next oldest player.
Johnny Unitas was 37 years and 255 days old when starting Super Bowl V against the Dallas Cowboys. He was not asked to do much through the air, completing 3-of-9 passes for 88 yards, a score, and two interceptions.
He was actually out-gained through the air by 36-year-old teammate Earl Morrall, who threw for 147 yards on the day. It was Unitas that got the start under center, though, so he’ll get the nod on this list despite being outdueled.
Kurt Warner (37 years old)
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Warner was 37 years and 224 days old when making a start in Super Bowl XLIII against the Steelers. Though he’d throw for 388 yards and three scores, the Cardinals would fall to Pittsburgh 27-23.
Warner got a late start to his pro career. He wasn’t in the NFL until age 27.
Despite that delay, he enjoyed a 12-career that ended a bit shy of 40 years old. The loss to Pittsburgh was one of two Super Bowl trips throughout Warner’s career, both of which ended in heartbreaking fashion.
In each case, the signal caller successfully led his team to fourth-quarter comebacks only to watch his opponent regain the lead inside the final minute of play.