Getty Images

Tom Brady will be 42 before the 2019 NFL season begins, and he says it’s not his last season — not even close to his last season. Whether or not he really can play to 45 or beyond, however, he’s already the best quarterback ever past the age of 40.

Brady has already thrown for 8,932 yards and 61 touchdown passes in regular-season games since turning 40, with an additional 2,085 yards and 10 touchdown passes in postseason games. That’s easily the best total for any quarterback after his 40th birthday.

Prior to Brady, Brett Favre and Warren Moon were the two most productive quarterbacks after their 40th birthdays, but neither was even close to Brady. Favre threw for 5,874 yards and 36 touchdowns after turning 40, with an additional 544 yards and five touchdowns in the playoffs. Moon totaled 5,538 passing yards and 37 touchdowns after his 40th birthday. He never got to the playoffs after turning 40.

At some point, Brady has to slow down, but jokes about his speed on the treadmill aside, he hasn’t shown a lot of evidence of that so far. And at this point, anything he does is just adding to his status as already the best quarterback ever to play past 40.