Who is the oldest quarterback to throw a touchdown? Philip Rivers’ NFL return

The Indianapolis Colts shocked the league this week by handing an NFL return to 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers, five years after his last start.

Rivers stepped in to start for the Colts in Sunday’s Week 15 game against the Seattle Seahawks. In the early stages there was some sign of rust on Rivers but the veteran’s quality soon shone through with a second quarter touchdown.

The Colts took a 13-3 lead when Rivers found Josh Downs with a short-range pass near the end zone. Downs took the ball over the line and Blake Grupe converted for Indianapolis.

It was a big moment for Rivers, who was the subject of much scrutiny in the week leading up to his return. He becomes one of the oldest quarterbacks to start an NFL game, tying fellow 44-year-olds Steve DeBerg, Vinny Testaverde and Warren Moon. Only Tom Brady, then 45 years old, has started as QB at an older age.

The record for the oldest quarterback to throw a touchdown is held by the legendary George Blanda, who was 47 years old when he found Cliff Branch for a 28-yard touchdown. In the latter years of his extraordinary career Blanda was operating as a reserve and he entered the fray in the final game of the 1974 NFL season against the Dallas Cowboys. More than 50 years on, Blanda remains the oldest quarterback to throw a touchdown in the NFL.

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