Longevity is rare in the NFL due to injuries and the natural decline in athleticism. But the Denver Broncos are all set to witness history at the NRG Stadium when they face the Houston Texans in Week 9. Tight End Marcedes Lewis, who is very close to surpassing Craig Morton, is on track to set a new record for the oldest Broncos to play in the regular season. What does the NFL legend think?

He is not worried. At the age of 82, he doesn’t mind the tight end breaking his record. “I don’t give a hoot,’’ the legend told The Denver Gazette. “So that’s my answer. … Good for him.” Morton shared that he wasn’t even aware of the record.

He was 39 years, 9 months, and 16 days old when he played his final NFL game on November 21, 1982. “Any time you watch a football game or baseball game, all they want to do is talk about records,’’ Morton said about the record. “What the heck. Let’s just play the game and huddle up and break the huddle, and kick some butt. … I’ve never heard about (his longevity record) and never thought of it.”

After Morton, it was NFL legend Peyton Manning who played at the age of 39 years, 10 months, and 14 days in the postseason, leading the Broncos to a Super Bowl 50 win on February 7, 2016.

And now, it’s Lewis’s turn to join that elite group. The Broncos have just elevated Lewis to the active roster from the practice squad after it suddenly faced several injuries. He was elevated from the practice squad after tight end Nate Adkins suffered a knee injury during the game against the Dallas Cowboys. Now, this is a history for the franchise, too. At the age of 41, he will be the oldest player to play in the team’s 66-season history.

The current title of the oldest player in the league is held by Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who will turn 42 this December. Lewis is currently in his 20th season in the league and the second-oldest player behind Rodgers to play in the league.

This is one interesting feat for the player. Not just the Broncos, the fandom will also look forward to seeing if he can break more records or join a few more elite records.

Who are the three oldest players to have seen action on the field?

George Blanda was 48 years old during his last game in the league. His last season was in 1975. He had an impressive 26 seasons in the league, playing for the Chicago Bears, Baltimore Colts, Chicago Bears, Houston Oilers, and Oakland Raiders. Blanda held the most points in history during his retirement.

Morten Andersen comes right after him. He played his last game when he was 47 years old. He played 25 seasons in the league. He’s the Saints’ all-time leading scorer with 1,318 points. In 2017, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The NFL world saw the next-oldest player in 2019. Adam Vinatieri was 47 years old at the time. He played for only two teams, the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts, throughout his 24-year career.

After John Carney, Tom Brady sits in the fourth position. Will Lewis be able to surpass these legends?