NFL Career Extension
NFL Teams Adopt Less Practice, More Care to Extend Linemen's Careers
NFL teams have found a quiet secret for keeping their oldest linemen on the field: practice less, treat more. Morgan Moses, a 34-year-old right tackle for the New England Patriots, is in his 12th pro season with his fourth team — and he started all 21 games last year, according to Yahoo Sports.
The Patriots built a custom program around Moses that cut his practice reps and loaded up his schedule with off-field recovery and treatment. It worked. And across the league, more teams are copying the same playbook to squeeze extra years out of veteran linemen.
Record Number of Older Linemen Starting Games in 2025
The numbers back up the trend. In 2025, the number of linemen who started a game at age 35 or older hit its highest point in two decades, according to Las Vegas Sun. Last season alone, 12 NFL linemen — six on offense, six on defense — were 35 or older and started at least one game.
That is a sharp change from even a decade ago, when linemen in their mid-30s were rare starters. Now teams are actively building programs to keep them healthy and productive deep into careers that once ended much earlier.
Patriots Built a Custom Recovery Plan Around Moses
New England's sports performance staff designed a program specifically for Moses, according to Yahoo Sports. The plan pulled him out of practice reps that younger linemen took. In their place, he got more body work — treatments, recovery sessions, and physical maintenance done away from the field.
The goal was simple: save his body for Sundays. By the time game day arrived, Moses was fresh instead of worn down. He rewarded that approach by staying healthy and starting every game across a full NFL season plus the playoffs.
Roster-Building Shift Drives Demand for Veteran Linemen
This trend in player longevity connects to a broader change in how NFL teams build rosters. Since 2006, teams have leaned harder on cheaper rookie contracts, according to Post Register. That shift created a gap — teams needed experienced, reliable starters who could fill in while young players developed.
Veteran linemen who can stay healthy fill that gap at a real cost savings. A 35-year-old who starts 17 games is more valuable than a young backup who is not ready. That math is pushing teams to invest in recovery programs that did not exist a few years ago.
Less Practice, Not Less Effort — A New NFL Philosophy
The idea of practicing less sounds strange in a sport built on repetition. But the logic is clear: a lineman's body takes massive punishment every snap. Cutting practice reps reduces wear without cutting preparation, according to Star Democrat.
Teams are learning that what happens off the field matters as much as what happens on it. Ice baths, soft tissue work, sleep tracking, and load management are now part of the job for older starters. For linemen like Moses, that care is the difference between playing at 34 and being out of the league entirely.
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