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List of most consecutive starts and games played by NFL players

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Brett Favre, the all-time leader in consecutive starts by an NFL player.

This is a list of the most consecutive starts and games played by a player by position in the National Football League (NFL).[1][2]

Quarterback Brett Favre's streak of 297 consecutive games started is the longest all-time.[3][4] Among defensive players, Jim Marshall's 270 is the longest.[3] Of special note is punter Jeff Feagles, who played in 352 consecutive games which is the longest of all-time for a special teams player.[5] Special teams players are not credited with starts in the NFL.[1][6] In 2018, Ryan Kerrigan became the most recent player to surpass someone at his position for consecutive starts, having broken the previous mark for left outside linebackers previously held by Jason Gildon.[7]

Leaderboards

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Bold denotes an active streak

Consecutive games started

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All-time starts

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Philip Rivers, the most recent player to achieve 200 consecutive starts by an NFL player.

Minimum 200 consecutive regular season starts[1][2][8]

Rank Player Pos Period Teams Consecutive starts Playoffs Total References
1 Brett Favre QB September 27, 1992 – December 5, 2010 GB/NYJ/MIN 297 24 321 [9][10]
2 Jim Marshall DE September 17, 1961 – December 16, 1979 MIN 270 19 289 [11][12]
3 Bill Romanowski LB April 9, 1988 – September 22, 2003 SF/PHI/DEN/OAK 243 28 271
4T Mick Tingelhoff C September 16, 1962 – December 17, 1978 MIN 240 19 259 [13][14]
Philip Rivers QB November 9, 2006 – March 1, 2021 SD/LAC/IND 240 12 252 [15][16][17]
5 Bruce Matthews G November 29, 1987 – June 1, 2002 OIL/TEN 229 15 244 [18][19]
6 Will Shields RG December 9, 1993 – January 6, 2007 KC 223 8 231 [20][21]
7T Alan Page DT August 10, 1967 – December 20, 1981 MIN/CHI 215 19 234 [22][23]
Ronde Barber CB November 21, 1999 – December 30, 2012 TB 215 9 224 [24][25]
London Fletcher LB December 11, 2000 – December 29, 2013 SLR/BUF/WAS 215 6 221 [26][27]
10T Jim Otto C November 9, 1960 – December 14, 1974 OAK 210 13 223 [28][29]
Eli Manning QB November 24, 2004 – November 23, 2017 NYG 210 12 222 [30][31]
12T Derrick Brooks LB January 9, 1996 – December 28, 2008 TB 208 11 219 [32][33]
Peyton Manning QB September 6, 1998 - January 8, 2011 IND 208 19 227 [34][35]
14 Gene Upshaw LG October 9, 1967 – October 4, 1981 OAK 207 24 231 [36][37]
15 Randall McDaniel LG October 22, 1989 – January 12, 2002 MIN/TB 202 16 218 [38][39]

Active leaders

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Minimum 100 consecutive regular season starts[40]

Player Pos Teams Reg. season starts References
Jake Matthews OT ATL 161 [41]

Consecutive games played

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All-time games played

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Top 25 players for consecutive regular season games played[1][42][43]

Rank Player Pos Period Teams Consecutive games Playoffs Total References
1 Jeff Feagles P April 9, 1988 – March 1, 2010 NE/PHI/ARI/SEA/NYG 352 11 363 [6][44]
2 Brett Favre QB September 13, 1992 – May 12, 2010 ATL/GB/NYJ/MIN 299 24 323 [10][45][46]
3 Jim Marshall DE September 25, 1960 – December 16, 1979 CLE/MIN 282 19 301 [11][47]
4 Mason Crosby K September 9, 2007 – January 8, 2023 GB 258 23 281 [48][49]
5 London Fletcher LB June 9, 1998 – December 29, 2013 SLR/BUF/WAS 256 9 265 [26][27]
6 Shane Lechler P September 29, 2002 – December 31, 2017 OAK/HOU 254 10 264 [50][51]
7 L. P. Ladouceur LS February 10, 2005 – March 1, 2021 DAL 253 9 262 [52][53]
8 Morten Andersen K October 25, 1987 – December 15, 2002 NO/ATL/NYG/KC 248 8 256 [54][49]
9 Chris Gardocki P November 28, 1991 – December 31, 2006 CHI/IND/CLE/PIT 244 14 258 [55][56]
10 Bill Romanowski LB April 9, 1988 – September 22, 2003 SF/PHI/DEN/OAK 243 28 271 [57][58]
11 Philip Rivers QB December 31, 2005 – March 1, 2021 SD/LAC/IND 241 12 253 [15][16]
12T Mick Tingelhoff C September 16, 1962 – December 17, 1978 MIN 240 19 259 [13][14]
Ryan Longwell K January 9, 1997 – January 1, 2012 GB/MIN 240 13 253 [59][60]
Ronde Barber DB June 9, 1998 – December 30, 2012 TB 240 9 249 [24][25]
15 Sam Koch P October 9, 2006 – December 27, 2020 BAL 239 18 257 [61][62][63]
16 Jason Witten TE October 19, 2003 – December 31, 2017 DAL 235 8 243 [64][65]
17T Jim Bakken K November 25, 1962 – December 17, 1978 SLC 234 2 236 [66][67]
Gary Anderson K October 25, 1987 – July 1, 2002 PIT/PHI/SF/MIN/TEN 234 17 251 [68][69]
19 Bruce Matthews OL November 29, 1987 – June 1, 2002 OIL/TEN 232 15 247 [18][70]
20 Jim Turner K December 9, 1964 – December 17, 1979 NYJ/DEN 228 8 236 [71][72]
21T George Blanda K/QB November 9, 1960 – December 21, 1975 OIL/OAK 224 18 242 [73][74]
John Hadl QB/P July 9, 1962 – December 18, 1977 SD/LAR/GB/OIL 224 4 228 [75][76]
Dan Stryzinski P September 9, 1990 – December 28, 2003 PIT/TB/ATL/KC/NYJ 224 4 228 [77][78]
Will Shields RG May 9, 1993 – December 31, 2006 KC 224 8 232 [20][79]
Derrick Brooks LB March 9, 1995 – December 28, 2008 TB 224 11 235 [32][80]
Kevin Carter DE/DT March 9, 1995 – December 28, 2008 SLR/TEN/MIA/TB 224 9 233 [81][82]
Ethan Albright LS January 9, 1996 – March 1, 2010 BUF/WAS 224 6 230 [83][84]
John Denney LS November 9, 2005 – December 30, 2018 MIA 224 2 226 [85][86]

Consecutive starts by position

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Offensive skilled

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Jason Witten, the all-time leader in consecutive starts by an NFL tight end.
Position Player Period Teams Consecutive starts Playoffs Total References
Quarterback Brett Favre September 27, 1992 – May 12, 2010 GB/NYJ/MIN 297 24 321 [10][9]
Tight end Jason Witten December 16, 2006 – December 31, 2017 DAL 179 7 186 [64][65]
Wide receiver Tim Brown December 14, 1992 – July 12, 2003 RAI/OAK 176 9 185 [87][88]
Running back Walter Payton July 12, 1975 – September 20, 1987 CHI 170 8 178 [89][90]
Fullback Jim Brown September 29, 1957 – December 19, 1965 CLE 118 4 122 [91][92]

Offensive linemen

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Doug Dieken, the all-time leader in consecutive starts by an NFL offensive left tackle.
Position Player Period Teams Consecutive starts Playoffs Total References
Center Mick Tingelhoff September 16, 1962 – December 17, 1978 MIN 240 19 259 [13][14]
Right guard Will Shields December 9, 1993 – December 31, 2006 KC 223 8 231 [20][21]
Left guard Gene Upshaw October 9, 1967 – April 10, 1981 OAK 207 24 231 [36][37]
Left tackle Doug Dieken November 21, 1971 – December 16, 1984 CLE 194 4 198 [91][93]
Right tackle Jon Runyan August 31, 1997 – December 28, 2008 TEN/PHI 192 21 213 [94][95]

Defensive linemen

[edit]
Jim Marshall, the all-time leader in consecutive starts by an NFL defensive end.
Position Player Period Teams Consecutive starts Playoffs Total References
Defensive end Jim Marshall September 17, 1961 – December 16, 1979 MIN 270 19 289 [11][12][96]
Defensive tackle Alan Page August 10, 1967 – December 20, 1981 MIN/CHI 215 19 234 [22][23]
Nose tackle Fred Smerlas July 9, 1980 – September 20, 1987 BUF 107 3 110 [97][98]

Linebackers

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Derrick Brooks, the all-time leader in consecutive starts by an NFL weakside linebacker.
Position Player Period Teams Consecutive starts Playoffs Total References
Linebacker London Fletcher June 9, 1998 – December 29, 2013 SLR/BUF/WAS 256 9 265
Linebacker Bill Romanowski April 9, 1988 – September 22, 2003 SF/PHI/DEN/OAK 243 28 271
Outside linebacker Derrick Brooks January 9, 1996 – December 28, 2008 TB 224 11 235
Linebacker London Fletcher December 11, 2000 – December 29, 2013 SLR/BUF/WAS 215 6 221 [26][27]
Middle linebacker Lee Roy Jordan September 18, 1966 – December 12, 1976 DAL 154 19 173 [99][100]

Defensive backs

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Ronde Barber, the all-time leader in consecutive starts by an NFL defensive back.
Position Player Period Teams Consecutive starts Playoffs Total References
Defensive back Ronde Barber November 21, 1999 – December 30, 2012 TB 215 9 224 [24][25]
Cornerback Ronde Barber November 21, 1999 – September 9, 2012 TB 200 9 209 [24][101]
Safety Willie Wood September 17, 1961 – December 19, 1971 GB 154 9 163 [102][103][104]
Strong safety Bill Thompson September 16, 1973 – December 20, 1981 DEN 134 5 139 [105][106]
Free safety Darryl Williams November 10, 1992 – December 27, 1998 CIN/SEA 108 0 108 [107][108]

Special teams

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Mason Crosby, the all-time leader in consecutive games played by an NFL kicker.
Position Player Period Teams Consecutive games Playoffs Total References
Punter Jeff Feagles April 9, 1988 – March 1, 2010 NE/PHI/ARI/SEA/NYG 352 11 363 [6][44]
Kicker Mason Crosby September 9, 2007 – January 8, 2023 GB 258 23 281 [48][49]
Long snapper L. P. Ladouceur February 10, 2005 – March 1, 2021 DAL 253 9 262 [52][53]
Kick/Punt returner Carl Roaches July 9, 1980 – December 16, 1984 OIL 73 1 74 [109][110]

Note: Games played by special teams players such as kickers and punters are not recognized officially as starts by the NFL.[1][6][54]

See also

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References

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