The age difference between the divisional Round quarterbacks in the AFC and NFC will be the widest since 1970
Andy Reid has been in this situation before, with a young franchise quarterback on a team that seriously aspires to win his second straight Super Bowl.
The Kansas City Chiefs head coach is looking to revalidate the title with Patrick Mahomes, and is excited to see young leaders on teams still alive within the postseason in the American Conference. In the National, the situation is different.
In fact, this will be the widest age gap between quarterbacks in the two conferences in the Divisional Round.
How wide is it? A pair of passers-by 40 years or older will face off at the National Conference. Tom Brady with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Drew Brees with the New Orleans Saints. In contrast, the oldest quarterback in the American Conference will be Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns at 25.
“I think that’s good for the sport, the arrival of new players in the position,” considered Reid, who reached four NFC finals with Donovan McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles starting in the 2000 season.
The Buffalo Bills won a postseason meet for the first time in 25 years with 24-year-old Josh Allen in charge of the offense. Cleveland put an end to an 18-year drought with no playoffs thanks to Mayfield and gave a lesson in humility to the Pittsburgh Steelers, six-time Super Bowl champion, in the Joker Round.
Reid and Muhammad, who is also 25 years old, although 156 days younger than Mayfield, are on a triumph to get their third Game for the AFC Championship after last season the Chiefs won their first Super Bowl in 50 years.
Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens, 24, and Most Valuable Player of 2019, won his first playoff duel by beating the Tennessee Titans last week. Now the Ravens are getting ready to visit the Buffalo Bills.
“My mother-in-law texted me the other day saying I was the old man,” Mayfield joked. “Someone sent me a little bit of how close they are all in age. It’s crazy to see Josh, Lamar and Pat. Pat is the most experienced of us all.”
The National Conference veteran was determined after the Los Angeles Rams ruled out John Wolford, who is 25 years old and 29 days younger than Muhammad. Jared Goff will start in the Divisional Round against the Green Bay Packers. Goff is 26 years old and already has experience playing a Super Bowl.
Goff will face 37-year-old Aaron Rodgers on his visit to Green Bay, while Brees, who turns 42 on Friday, will face 43-year-old Brady on Sunday, making him the most veteran rival quarterbacks duo in history. of the NFL.
With Goff as a starter, the average quarterbacks in the NFC will be 37 years and 77 days, compared to the 24 years and 344 days of the AFC. The difference is 12 years and 98 days, which is the widest in the NFL since 1970.