Fountain of Youth: Oldest players ever to suit up for Saints

If you head over to Airline Drive for a Saints practice next week, you might look for the Fountain of Youth that the franchise has hidden someplace. No, this is not a joke.

Here are some examples of players who have worn the Black and Gold and far exceeded their expected shelf life in the NFL.

Most Saints fans know Drew Brees will turn 40 years young on January 18, 2019, but you also should know he is not the oldest player to ever don a Saints game day uniform.

In reverse order, we look back at the 10 oldest players to have represented the franchise on the field of play.

10. Rickey Jackson was 35 and 288 days old when he played the last game of his 13 years in New Orleans. The Pro Football Hall of Famer then went the San Francisco for a pair of seasons, helping the 49ers to win a Super Bowl.

9. Garo Yepremian, 35 years and 221 days when he suited up with Saints in 1979, played 15 total seasons including time with the Lions, Dolphins and Buccaneers.

8. Earl Leggett was 35 years and 289 days while playing defensive tackle with the Saints. The former LSU standout played 12 seasons in NFL, also with the Bears and Rams. He played in 20 games in New Orleans from 1967-’69.

7. Ben Watson, who will be 38 years young December 18, enters his second stint with team. In 2013-’15 with the Saints, he snared 113 passes for 1,187 yards and 10 touchdowns. In his career, the big tight end has made 495 catches for 5,485 yards and 42 scores.

8. Fred McAfee was 38 years and 190 days old when he last suited up for the Saints. He first played here 1991-’93 and then returned from 2000-’06. In 1991, McAfee paced the team with 494 yards rushing. But both in Pittsburgh and New Orleans, he earned his keep on special teams.

5. Ken Stabler was 38 years and 301 days old when he played his last NFL game with the Saints. Ending his career in Black & Gold after leading the Raiders’ Silver & Black to a Super Bowl in a great stretch of years with Oakland in the 1970’s, the man they called “The Snake” played parts of three season in New Orleans following a pair of years with the Houston Oilers.

4. Doug Atkins, 39 years and 243 days old when he hung up cleats for final time in the Saints locker room, played in 39 games with the Black and Gold in the franchise’s first three season. Sacks were not recorded when Big Doug played, but he was responsible for a reign of terror on opposing quarterbacks in a Hall of Fame career.

3. Drew Brees, 40 years young on January 15, 2019, is still the face of the franchise. He has a two-year contract entering this season.

2. John Kasay was 42 years 68 days when he ended his time with the Saints. After 19 NFL season including the previous 15 with the Panthers, he ended his career with New Orleans in 2011 and converted 82.4 percent of his field goal attempts.

1. John Carney was 46 years, 258 days old when he played his final game with Saints. Of his career spanning four different decades, the Notre Dame alum joined the Saints in 2001-’06 Saints and returned in 2009.