The NFL is a league where stars rise and fall fast, and sometimes, a player or two who once had the spotlight fade into the background and out of the league.
On the other side of that coin—there are some players, well past their prime, who, somehow, are still out there grinding on Sundays.
Whether they’ve been bouncing around teams or quietly holding down a roster spot for a couple of seasons now, there are a number of NFL veterans still suiting up that you probably forgot all about.
And now, we’re going to take a look at 10 NFL players you totally forgot are STILL playing today.
Are you still aware that these players are still playing in the NFL this season?
Austin Ekeler, RB, Washington Commanders
Now, if you thought Austin Ekeler was still tearing it up in L.A., think again.
The man who once led the Chargers’ high-octane offense has found himself in a new city, wearing a new uniform and with a new team… the Washington Commanders.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NFL stories via Google! Follow Us
The deal did get some attention this offseason, as the aging running back inked a two-year deal worth just over $11 million and it was a nice pick up for a Washington team that was looking to add a veteran presence in their locker room and depth in the their offensive backfield, but it wasn’t exactly front-page news…
After all, it has been a couple of years since Ekeler was really at his best. In 2023, his final season with the Chargers, his touches were way down, and he finished the season with just 628 rushing yards and six total touchdowns.
Yes… This is a decent showing. But not compared to what we got used to seeing out of the once undrafted running back who turned himself into a legit star for a couple of years there.
It’s kind of wild to think Ekeler, one of the best dual-threat backs in the league not long ago, is now grinding it out in Washington. Between his team’s lack of relevance and his diminished performance, it is no wonder that people have essentially forgotten that he is still balling.
Marcus Mariota, QB, Washington Commanders
Austin Ekeler isn’t the only high-profile NFL player who is essentially under witness protection in Washington.
Marcus Mariota, a dual threat in his own right, albeit as a quarterback, is still out here hustling, too.
Once a Heisman Trophy winner and the second overall pick in the 2015 draft, Mariota’s career has been a rollercoaster ride.
After starting in Tennessee, he bounced around the league before landing in the nation’s capital. He may not be the franchise quarterback that Tennessee thought he would be—or that people once expected, but he’s still got a role as a capable backup who can provide a spark when needed.
Plus, with his athleticism, he will be able to mesh well with Washington’s offense as it is currently designed for Jayden Daniels another athletic QB.
Who knows, maybe we’ll see Mariota get a chance to shine again this season if Daniels has some growing pains or gets bit by the injury bug, but until then, the Hawaiian signal-caller is hiding in the shadows!
Allen Robinson, WR, Detroit Lions
There was a time when Allen Robinson was one of the most reliable receivers in the NFL. Robinson has a big, athletic frame, and he knew how to use it to create separation and put up impressive numbers with the Jaguars and Bears, even with their less-than-stellar quarterbacks throwing him the ball.
But over the past couple of years he has hit a steep decline and Robinson started to bounce around from team to team, and his latest stop is with the Detroit Lions.
But here’s the kicker—he hasn’t even been elevated from the practice squad yet.
It’s a far cry from his Pro Bowl days—that is for sure! And no wonder people have forgotten that he’s still playing—I mean… It seems like he is really hanging on by a thread.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, Buffalo Bills
Former South Florida standout Marquez Valdes-Scantling made a name for himself during the early days of his NFL career with his blazing speed out in Green Bay.
Everyone expected him to be the next stud target for Aaron Rodgers because not only did he possess 4.37 speed, but also an imposing 6’ 4” frame… but that didn’t exactly go to plans. Valdes-Scantling was plagued by drops during his time in Green Bay—and during his time with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
He never even surpassed 42 receptions or 690 yards, which, for an NFL player with his natural skill set is a huge disappointment.
In any case, he has started to fall off the radar for many NFL fans. In fact, I’m willing to say that very few of you outside of Bills Mafia even knew that he landed in Buffalo!
It’s crazy to think that he now has Josh Allen as a quarterback, and he’s probably the worst of the three signal-callers that he’s had during his career, and he has still managed to become an afterthought!
Also Read: 10 Star NFL Players That Are the BIGGEST Cry Babies In The League Today
Grady Jarret, DE, Atlanta Falcons
Grady Jarrett has been a mainstay on the Falcons’ defensive line for nearly a decade, but after tearing his ACL last season, he was limited to just eight games, and Atlanta missed his presence badly, stumbling to a 7-10 finish.
Even though the lack of Jarrett was such a factor, many people started to not only write him off, but also forget about him…
And honestly, with how the Falcons were playing last year with their disaster scene at quarterback, it’s easy to forget about a guy when he’s sidelined on that kind of team for most of the season.
Heading into 2024, all of the noise down in Hotlanta was around their new head coach, Raheem Morris, and the acquisitions they made at quarterback, both with Kirk Cousins in free agency and Michael Penix Jr. In the first round of the draft.
As a result, Jarrett, who is heading into his 10th season in the NFL, has had his return to action overshadowed in a big way.
Jarrett was still recovering and wasn’t fully ready for OTAs, but he was back at full strength for training camp. He is entering the season at 31 years old, so it’s fair to wonder how much gas he has left in the tank.
But if he wants people to remember that he’s around and still kicking in the NFL—he’ll have to find a way to rally his strength and put forth a couple of vintage performances. Otherwise, he’ll remain a largely forgotten NFL player of yesteryear.
Jamal Adams, S, Tennessee Titans
There was a time when Jamal Adams was the definition of a game-changer at safety. He made a name for himself with the Jets as one of the hardest-hitting, most versatile defenders in the league.
Adams possessed a truly unique ability to get after the quarterback as a member of the secondary, but ever since his falling out with the team and his subsequent move to the Seahawks, his star has faded in a major way.
To be fair to Adams, injuries have definitely been a factor in the inconsistent play.
But still, it is hard to ignore the steady decline after he tried to pull off the full-on diva routine in New York.
The point is that the days of Adams being a Pro Bowl-level safety seem like a distant memory. He’s now landed in Tennessee, where the team is rebuilding and looking to add some veteran leadership on defense.
But with the way that team has fallen apart and his considerable lack in relevance, he has largely been forgotten about over the past couple years.
Stephon Gilmore, CB, Minesota Vikings
Remember when Stephon Gilmore was the best cornerback in football?
Yeah, it wasn’t that long ago. The former Defensive Player of the Year was the definition of a lockdown corner during his prime with the Patriots, but fast forward to 2024, and Gilmore is now with the Minnesota Vikings—quietly playing out the twilight years of his career.
At 34 years old, Gilmore isn’t the shutdown corner he once was, but he’s still got plenty of experience and technical know-how.
In today’s NFL, veteran corners who know the game as well as Gilmore are always valuable, even if they’ve lost a step.
And while people may not have realized that Minnesota brought him in in the first place… they did… and they did it to bolster their secondary.
While he’s not the All-Pro NFL player we remember, he’s still more than capable of holding his own, and he’s actually gotten off to a pretty sound start in 2024.
That said, he has still got a lot of work to do to re-implant himself in the national consciousness.
Mekhi Becton, RG, Philadelphia Eagles
Mekhi Becton was supposed to be the cornerstone of the Jets’ offensive line for years to come when they drafted him 11th overall in 2020… But unfortunately for the gigantic o-lineman and the team that drafted him—that didn’t exactly go to plan.
His rookie year showed some promise, but the guy just couldn’t stay healthy and injuries really derailed his tenure with the Jets.
After missing nearly two full seasons due to surgeries on his knee, Becton made a return in 2023—but he wasn’t quite the same NFL player, and he started to fade from the national conversation.
This offseason, Becton found a new home and signed a one-year deal worth up to $5.5 million with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The 6-foot-7 Becton started 16 games last season, which was his first step in returning to relevance, but considering his injury history and the fact that he missed 33 out of 34 games in 2021 and 2022, it will take more than one decent year to regain his footing among the league’s fans.
Luckily for Becton, the Eagles needed to bolster their offensive line depth after losing Jack Driscoll and Sua Opeta in free agency, so he now has a chance to do that very thing in the city of Brotherly Love!
With the Eagles banking on Becton to find his footing again, he could turn out to be one of the best reclamation projects in recent memory. But until then, it’s safe to say he’s flown under the radar for most NFL fans.
Amer Abdullah, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
Best known for his time with the Detroit Lions, Ameer Abdullah has now been hanging around the NFL for quite some time… Nearly a decade now.
But you’d be forgiven if you forgot he was still in the league.
Because not only has he bounced around quite a bit after being drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2015, with stints in Minnesota, Carolina, and now, the Las Vegas Raiders, he also never really hit the heights performance-wise that some of the other NFL players on this list have.
In Abdullah’s defense though, he has always been a versatile back, capable of contributing in both the run and pass game…
But at this point in his career, he’s more of a depth piece than a game-changer.
All things considered—it is honestly pretty hard to believe that Abdullah has been in the league this long—and that he’s still in it.
But hey, he’s still grinding it out in Vegas! Good on him!
Linval Joseph, DT, Dallas Cowboys
This offseason, the inside of the defensive line was a major focus for the Dallas Cowboys… And the makeover continued when they inked a one-year deal with veteran defensive tackle Linval Joseph.
The Cowboys had conversations with Joseph throughout the offseason and were finally able to land a deal with him just before the end of camp.
Joseph, a grizzled vet, now 35, will reunite with Mike Zimmer, his head coach for six seasons while with the Minnesota Vikings.
What makes this fit all the more interesting is that Joseph becomes the fourth defender to have previous ties to Zimmer or run game coordinator Paul Guenther, a key member of Zimmer’s staff over the years.
It’s easy to forget about guys like Joseph, who do the dirty work in the trenches… Especially when he’s been in the league for 14 years!
But he’s been one of the most consistent defensive tackles in the league over the last 14 seasons.
Even with the diminished role he’s played in recent seasons…
That said, it will be hard for him to really stand out on that Dallas defense with big names like Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs absorbing all the attention, so expect Joseph to continue to fly under the radar!
Also Read: 10 NFL Players That It’s “MAKE-OR-BREAK” This 2024 Season
