If he makes an appearance this season, it would mark his 20th of the campaign. Lewis will be the second oldest player in the NFL in 2025 behind only Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers, quarterback Joe Flacco and kickers Matt Prater and Nick Folk are the only players 40 or older to appear in the NFL this season.
The oldest tight end to appear in an NFL game in NFL history was Lewis himself in Week 18 last season with the Bears (40 years, 231 days old). Lewis is the only TE to play a game age 40 or older (second oldest: Seattle’s Jeff Robinson, 39 years and 317 days old in Week 17, 2009).
For his career, Lewis has 5,115 receiving yards and 40 touchdowns on 437 catches.
Only two players in NFL history have caught a pass in the NFL age 41-plus: Jerry Rice (70) and Tom Brady (1.6-yard reception from Julian Edelman in Week 10, 2018 at Tennessee). Lewis would pass Brady as the second-oldest player to do so if he makes it this season. Lewis is already the third-oldest player in NFL history to catch a pass (40 years, 147 days old with the Bears in Week 6, 2024).
The oldest player to score a touchdown in Broncos history is John Elway, who caught a fourth-quarter TD in Super Bowl XXXIII at 38 years and 217 days old.
The specialty of the man affectionately known as Big Dog is his blocking. The 6-foot-6, 267-pound tight end excels in pass protection and moves man in the run game. It’s the quality that has kept him employed long after others in his competition have long since left the job.
For context, the rest of his 2006 first-round class hung up their cones long ago. No. 1 overall pick Mario Williams last played in 2016. Ditto for Reggie Bush. Vince Young, no. 3, last caught snaps in 2011. Lewis’ UCLA teammate Maurice Jones-Drew, a 32nd overall pick after TE out of Jacksonville, ended his career in 2014.
Broncos QB Bo Nix was 6 years old when Lewis was drafted in 2006. Sean Payton handled the first draft as Saints head coach in 2006, selecting Bush second overall.
Devin Hester, a second-round pick in 2006, is already in the Hall of Fame. DeMeco Ryans, picked five picks behind Lewis, is in his third season as head coach of the Houston Texans.
And Big Dog keeps plugging away.