List of most consecutive starts and games played by National Football League players


This is a list of the most consecutive starts and games played by a player by position in the National Football League.
Quarterback Brett Favre's streak of 297 consecutive games started is the longest all-time. Among defensive players, Jim Marshall's 270 is the longest. 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. Special teams players are not credited with starts in the NFL. 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.

Leader boards

Bold denotes an active streak

Consecutive games started

All-time starts

Minimum 200 consecutive regular season starts
RankPlayerPosPeriodTeamsConsecutive startsPlayoffsTotalReferences
1Brett FavreQB9/27/1992 – 12/5/2010GB/NYJ/MIN29724321
2Jim MarshallDE9/17/1961 – 12/16/1979MIN27019289
3Mick TingelhoffC9/16/1962 – 12/17/1978MIN24019259
4Bruce MatthewsOL11/29/1987 – 1/6/2002OIL/TEN22915244
5Philip RiversQB9/11/2006 – presentSD/LAC/IND22411235
6Will ShieldsRG9/12/1993 – 12/31/2006KC2238231
7TAlan PageDT10/8/1967 – 12/20/1981MIN/CHI21519234
7TRonde BarberDB11/21/1999 – 12/30/2012TB2159224
7TLondon FletcherLB11/12/2000 – 12/29/2013SLR/BUF/WAS2156221
10TJim OttoC9/11/1960 – 12/14/1974OAK21013223
10TEli ManningQB11/24/2004 – 11/23/2017NYG21012222
12TDerrick BrooksLB9/1/1996 – 12/28/2008TB20811219
12TPeyton ManningQB9/6/1998 – 1/2/2011IND20819227
14Gene UpshawLG9/10/1967 – 10/4/1981OAK20724231
15Randall McDanielLG10/22/1989 – 1/6/2002MIN/TB20216218

Active leaders

Minimum 100 consecutive regular season starts
PlayerPosTeamsReg. season startsReferences
Philip RiversQBSD/LAC224
Brandon CarrCBKC/DAL/BAL192
Ndamukong SuhDTDET/MIA/LAR/TB131
Cameron JordanDENO129
Mitchell SchwartzOTCLE/KC128
Russell WilsonQBSEA128
Malcolm JenkinsSSPHI103

Consecutive games played

All-time games played

Top 25 players for consecutive regular season games played
RankPlayerPosPeriodTeamsConsecutive gamesPlayoffsTotalReferences
1Jeff FeaglesP9/4/1988 – 1/3/2010NE/PHI/ARI/SEA/NYG35211363
2Brett FavreQB9/13/1992 – 12/5/2010GB/NYJ/MIN29924323
3Jim MarshallDE9/25/1960 – 12/16/1979CLE/MIN28219301
4London FletcherLB9/6/1998 – 12/29/2013SLR/BUF/WAS2569265
5Shane LechlerP9/29/2002 – 12/31/2017OAK/HOU25410264
6Morten AndersenK10/25/1987 – 12/15/2002NO/ATL/NYG/KC2488256
7Chris GardockiP11/28/1991 – 12/31/2006CHI/IND/CLE/PIT24414258
8Bill RomanowskiLB9/4/1988 – 9/22/2003SF/PHI/DEN/OAK24328271
9TMick TingelhoffC9/16/1962 – 12/17/1978MIN24019259
9TRyan LongwellK9/1/1997 – 1/1/2012GB/MIN24013253
9TRonde BarberDB9/6/1998 – 12/30/2012TB2409249
12L. P. LadouceurLS10/2/2005 – presentDAL2379246
13Jason WittenTE10/19/2003 – 12/31/2017DAL2358243
14TJim BakkenK11/25/1962 – 12/17/1978SLC2342236
14TGary AndersonK10/25/1987 – 1/7/2002PIT/PHI/SF/MIN/TEN23417251
16Bruce MatthewsOL11/29/1987 – 1/6/2002OIL/TEN23215247
17Jim TurnerK9/12/1964 – 12/17/1979NYJ/DEN2288236
18Philip RiversQB12/31/2005 – presentSD/LAC22511236
19TGeorge BlandaK/QB9/11/1960 – 12/21/1975OIL/OAK22418242
19TJohn HadlQB/P9/7/1962 – 12/18/1977SD/LAR/GB/OIL2244228
19TDan StryzinskiP9/9/1990 – 12/28/2003PIT/TB/ATL/KC/NYJ2244228
19TWill ShieldsRG9/5/1993 – 12/31/2006KC2248232
19TDerrick BrooksLB9/3/1995 – 12/28/2008TB22411235
19TKevin CarterDE/DT9/3/1995 – 12/28/2008SLR/TEN/MIA/TB2249233
19TEthan AlbrightLS9/1/1996 – 1/3/2010BUF/WAS2246230
19TJohn DenneyLS9/11/2005 – 12/30/2018MIA2242226
19TSam KochP9/10/2006 – presentBAL22418242

Consecutive starts by position

Offensive skilled

PositionPlayerPeriodTeamsConsecutive startsPlayoffsTotalReferences
QuarterbackBrett Favre9/27/1992 – 12/5/2010GB/NYJ/MIN29724321
Tight endJason Witten12/16/2006 – 12/31/2017DAL1797186
Wide receiverTim Brown12/14/1992 – 12/7/2003RAI/OAK1769185
Running backWalter Payton12/7/1975 – 9/20/1987CHI1708178
FullbackJim Brown9/29/1957 – 12/19/1965CLE1184122

Offensive linemen

PositionPlayerPeriodTeamsConsecutive startsPlayoffsTotalReferences
CenterMick Tingelhoff9/16/1962 – 12/17/1978MIN24019259
Right guardWill Shields9/12/1993 – 12/31/2006KC2238231
Left guardGene Upshaw9/10/1967 – 10/4/1981OAK20724231
Left tackleDoug Dieken11/21/1971 – 12/16/1984CLE1944198
Right tackleJon Runyan8/31/1997 – 12/28/2008TEN/PHI19221213

Defensive linemen

PositionPlayerPeriodTeamsConsecutive startsPlayoffsTotalReferences
Defensive endJim Marshall9/17/1961 – 12/16/1979MIN27019289
Weakside defensive endJim Marshall9/16/1962 – 12/16/1979MIN25619275
Defensive tackleAlan Page10/8/1967 – 12/20/1981MIN/CHI21519234
Weakside defensive tackleAlan Page9/14/1968 – 12/20/1981MIN/CHI20419223
Strongside defensive tackleMerlin Olsen12/9/1962 – 12/11/1976LAR1989207
Strongside defensive endJack Youngblood10/8/1972 – 12/2/1984LAR18416200
Nose tackleFred Smerlas9/7/1980 – 9/20/1987BUF1073110

Linebackers

PositionPlayerPeriodTeamsConsecutive startsPlayoffsTotalReferences
LinebackerLondon Fletcher11/12/2000 – 12/29/2013SLR/BUF/WAS2156221
Weakside linebackerDerrick Brooks9/1/1996 – 12/28/2008TB20811219
Middle linebackerLee Roy Jordan9/18/1966 – 12/12/1976DAL15419173
Right outside linebackerRobert Brazile9/21/1975 – 12/16/1984OIL1477154
Strongside linebackerBill Romanowski9/4/1994 – 9/22/2003PHI/DEN/OAK14014154
Left outside linebackerRyan Kerrigan9/11/2011 – 11/24/2019WAS1392141
Left inside linebackerLevon Kirkland11/27/1994 – 12/24/2000PIT1079116
Right inside linebackerLawrence Timmons12/5/2010 – 1/1/2017PIT10110111

Defensive backs

PositionPlayerPeriodTeamsConsecutive startsPlayoffsTotalReferences
Defensive backRonde Barber11/21/1999 – 12/30/2012TB2159224
CornerbackRonde Barber11/21/1999 – 9/9/2012TB2009209
SafetyWillie Wood9/17/1961 – 12/19/1971GB1549163
Strong safetyBill Thompson9/16/1973 – 12/20/1981DEN1345139
Free safetyDarryl Williams10/11/1992 – 12/27/1998CIN/SEA1080108

Special teams

PositionPlayerPeriodTeamsConsecutive gamesPlayoffsTotalReferences
PunterJeff Feagles9/4/1988 – 1/3/2010NE/PHI/ARI/SEA/NYG35211363
KickerMorten Andersen10/25/1987 – 12/15/2002NO/ATL/NYG/KC2488256
Long snapperL. P. Ladouceur10/2/2005 – presentDAL2379246
Kick/Punt returnerCarl Roaches9/7/1980 – 12/16/1984OIL73174

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