At this point, Pro Bowl tight end Marcedes Lewis’ NFL career is old enough to drink alcohol in most states, drive a car and enlist in the U.S. army.
According to an official announcement from the Chicago Bears, Lewis is re-signing with the team on a one-year deal, setting him up for his 19th NFL season. He is the longest-tenured tight end in NFL history, having broken the tight with Jason Witten and Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez last year.
“Year 19 loading,” the Bears wrote on X, posting an image of Lewis signing his contract.
At 40 years of age, Lewis is also the second-oldest player in the NFL behind only New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, his former teammate on the Green Bay Packers.
Lewis hasn’t exactly been a game-changer at tight end over the past couple of years. Despite playing all but one game since 2017, he has only 85 receptions in his last 114 games.
2010 was the highlight year of Lewis’ unusually long career. Playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars that year, Lewis had 58 receptions for 700 yards and 10 touchdowns – all career-highs – which earned him Pro Bowl and Second-Team All-Pro honors that season.
In 2018, Lewis signed with the Packers as a free agent after having played 12 years in Jacksonville. While he didn’t exactly light up the scoreboard over the next five years, he was a model of health, missing only one game during his five-year run.
Will Lewis make it all the way to 20 years in the NFL?
Related: Everyone Said The Same Thing About Marcedes Lewis Today