The NFL remains the most violent and physically demanding contact sport. This is a game for young men. There are only a lot of hits a human body can withstand before it begins to deteriorate. The process of aging, when your livelihood depends on your physicality, sucks. Just ask Adrian Peterson, Brandon Marshall, Dez Bryant, Jamaal Charles, and even Peyton Manning, whose robotic brain eventually failed to overcome his noodle arm.

  • But that doesn't mean the NFL isn't populated or even dominated by superstars over the age of 30. 

10. Philip Rivers, QB, Chargers (36)

Rivers finds himself in the same tier as Stafford and Ryan, but I'll give him the edge here due to better career numbers. Plus, by advanced metrics, Rivers was better in 2017. According to Football Outsiders' metrics, Rivers was the second-best quarterback last season with only Tom Brady finishing above him. He finished with 28 touchdowns and 10 picks. 

But he did not win MVP. 

9. Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers (36)

For all of the talk about Roethlisberger's regression from a great to a mere good quarterback, he's been pretty damn good in recent years. Since 2014, he is averaged roughly 4,240 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions per season. Of course, it doesn't hurt that he is had the privilege of playing alongside Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell. His supporting cast is one reason why he might have the best chance to succeed again in 2018. His future projection and his career resume (two Super Bowls) barely pushes him above Rivers.

8. Marshal Yanda, G, Ravens (33)

There's no better guard in football than Yanda, who might just be the most underrated superstar in the NFL. He's been to six Pro Bowls since entering the NFL in 2007 and has been named First-Team All Pro twice. In 2016, he led all guards with the best pass-blocking percentage by allowing zero sacks and only six pressures, according to PFF. Then, he missed nearly the entire 2017 season with a fractured ankle. That injury wasn't enough to keep him out of the top 10. When healthy, he's an unmovable object. 

7. Gerald McCoy, DT, Buccaneers (30)

Let's begin a run on defensive tackles. I'll start with McCoy, who didn't get sucked into the maelstrom created by the god awful Buccaneers defense last season. In 2017, McCoy followed up his seven-sack season with six sacks, which continued his streak. Since 2012, he's racked up at least five sacks in every season for a grand total of 44.5 sacks in 90 games, which basically comes out to one sack every other game. For a defensive tackle, that's cool production.

6. Ndamukong Suh, DT, Rams (31)

Don't buy into the narrative that Suh's skills have declined. He's still one of the best players at his position and he's going to provide the Rams with a lift that could get them over the playoff hump and into the Super Bowl. He's still a force of nature. He's got 51.5 sacks in his career despite playing a position that doesn't exactly make it easy to bring down opposing quarterbacks. This past season, he graded out as PFF's fifth-best interior defender behind only Aaron Donald (his new teammate, which is both fun and scary), Geno Atkins (more on him in a second), Kawann Short, and Fletcher Cox.

5. Calais Campbell, DE, Jaguars (31)

What a steal Campbell ended up being for the Jaguars. Campbell had enjoyed a productive career in Arizona where he grabbed 56.5 sacks from 2008-16. Then he arrived in Jacksonville in 2017 and did better , when he brought down opposing quarterbacks 14.5 times -- a career high. As a result, he was named First-Team All Pro.

4. Geno Atkins, DT, Bengals (30)

Atkins is the best defensive tackle on this list. He's coming off his second straight nine-sack season, which brought his career sack total to 61. Among all players, that figure ranks 18th since 2010. Among defensive tackles, that figure ranks first. Defensive tackles shouldn't be able to attack the quarterback like that. But Atkins does. All the time.

3. Drew Brees, QB, Saints (39)

The final three spots belong to the game's best quarterbacks. Let's start with Brees. Historically, he's one of the best to have ever played the position. Entering the 2018 season, he ranks first all-time in completion percentage, third in passing yards, tied (with Tom Brady) for third in touchdown passes, and sixth in passer rating. Currently, he's one of the best to still play the position. In 2017, despite the Saints adopting a run-heavy approach, he still completed 72 percent of his passes for 4,334 yards, 23 touchdowns, eight picks, and a 103.9 passer rating. Per Football Outsiders' metrics, he was the third-best quarterback behind Rivers and Brady.

2. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers (34)

When Rodgers is healthy, he's the most-talented quarterback in football and he might be the most-talented quarterback of all-time. There's a reason why his player comparison is an actual dragon (h/t Robert Mays). He just finds a way to make plays that other quarterbacks -- yes, even Tom Brady -- couldn't dare try because they're not nearly as athletic or as strong-armed as he is.

So, why does Rodgers rank second and not first? Availability. He's coming off a seven-game season. Since he became the Packers' starter in 2008, he's appeared in 142 of 160 possible games. That's not a bad track record considering he plays a collision sport, but it's worse than the track record of Brady, who never misses game time. That's why Rodgers didn't make it to the top of the list.

1. Tom Brady, QB, Patriots (40)

Brady remains the NFL's king at the age of 40.

He's the only athlete on the planet, outside of LeBron James and maybe even Bartolo Colon, who has defeated the process of aging. Like Brees, he's a historical marvel, ranking fourth all-time in passing yards, tied for third in passing touchdowns, and third in passer rating. Like Brees, he's coming off yet another stellar season. He threw for 4,577 yards, 32 touchdowns, eight picks, and a 102.8 passer rating. He won MVP at the age of 40 and led the Patriots back to the Super Bowl. He's the greatest to have ever done it. At this point, it's useless to predict when he'll finally decline. He's shown no signs of aging and should continue to pick apart the rest of the NFL at the age of 41.

Just missed: 

  • Everson Griffen, DE, Vikings (30); 
  • Brandon Graham, DE, Eagles (30); 
  • Aqib Talib, CB, Rams (32);  
  • Jason Kelce, C, Eagles (30);  
  • Alex Mack, C, Falcons (32); 
  • Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons (33); 
  • Delanie Walker, TE, Titans (33); 
  • Matthew Stafford, QB, Lions (30); 
  • Eric Weddle, S, Ravens (33); 
  • Joe Staley, OT, 49ers (33).