These NFL players never missed a snap in 2016
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Kevin SeifertNFL Nation
Perfect attendance is nearly impossible in the injury-ravaged, ever-specialized NFL. Even if a player stays healthy, chances are high that he will be taken off the field at some point as coaches employ situational strategies.
So it’s worth noting the relative handful of players who cut through those obstacles and were on the field for every snap for their side of the ball that their teams took during the 2016 regular season. For the most part, they come from positions that are not often subject to rotation: offensive line and quarterback.
A total of 34 players accomplished perfect attendance this season, including 26 offensive linemen. The achievement requires health, skill and some luck as well. Dozens more played all but a few of their teams’ snaps, felled only by a quick health check, equipment issue or late-game replacement.
Below are the regular-season snap totals for the eight players who are not offensive linemen; the O-linemen’s totals are in the chart. The listed ages are as of Week 17.
QB Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints | Age: 37
Snaps: 1,153 of 1,153
Brees returned to form in 2016 after injuries slowed his usual pace in 2015. In his 16th season, Brees took more snaps than any other quarterback in the NFL. He has missed a grand total of two starts since joining the Saints in 2006. One of Brees’ secrets: He had the NFL’s fourth-lowest contact rate in 2016, taking a hit on 5.8 percent of his dropbacks.
QB Eli Manning, New York Giants | Age: 35
Snaps: 1,062 of 1,062
Even at his age, this achievement is hardly a surprise. Manning hasn’t missed a start since ascending to the job in 2005, and his streak of 199 consecutive games played leads all active players. Manning’s consecutive games streak ranks third all time among NFL quarterbacks. In 2016, Manning had the NFL’s lowest contact rate (5.0). It helps to stay clean.
QB Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins | Age: 28
Snaps: 1,060 of 1,060
Like Brees and Manning, Cousins has learned how to minimize hits inside and outside the pocket. He ranked No. 6 in the NFL in contact rate (7.6 percent). In his two years as the Redskins’ starter, he ranks No. 7 (7.2 percent) in that category.
QB Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions | Age: 28
Snaps: 1,037 of 1,037
It’s amazing that after two injury-shortened years at the start of his career, Stafford has made every start since Week 1 of the 2011 season. And in 2016, there weren’t many opportunities to give him an end-game breather. The Lions had eight fourth-quarter comeback victories, and 13 of their 16 games were decided by one score.
LB Alec Ogletree, Los Angeles Rams | Age: 25
Snaps: 1,090 of 1,090
After missing 12 games because of a broken leg in 2015, Ogletree returned to lead a nucleus of Rams defenders who rarely left the field. Linebackers are usually first off the field in nickel situations, but Ogletree never left and fellow linebacker Mark Barron missed only three snaps (99.7 percent).
S Reggie Nelson, Oakland Raiders | Age: 33
Snaps: 1,048 of 1,048
Nelson moved from Cincinnati to Oakland last offseason but carried on his late-career renaissance. During the past three seasons, from the ages of 31 to 33, he started 48 of a possible 48 games, intercepted 17 passes and was named twice to the Pro Bowl.
S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Green Bay Packers | Age: 24
Snaps: 1,029 of 1,029
The 2016 season was a breakout year in many ways for Clinton-Dix, who was the Packers’ first-round draft pick in 2014. In addition to playing every snap, he led the team with five interceptions and earned his first Pro Bowl selection.
S Glover Quin, Detroit Lions | Age: 30
Snaps: 1,026 of 1,026
Quinn is one of the most durable and consistent defensive players in the NFL. He has missed only one game in eight seasons and has started 116 consecutive games.
| Player | Team | Snaps |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Chester | Falcons | 1,041 |
| Ryan Schraeder | Falcons | 1,041 |
| Andrew Norwell | Panthers | 1,110 |
| Charles Leno | Bears | 1,010 |
| Kevin Zeitler | Bengals | 1,087 |
| Joe Thomas | Browns | 1,030 |
| Travis Frederick | Cowboys | 1,058 |
| Doug Free | Cowboys | 1,058 |
| Zack Martin | Cowboys | 1,058 |
| Max Garcia | Broncos | 1,073 |
| Matt Paradis | Broncos | 1,073 |
| Taylor Decker | Lions | 1,037 |
| A.J. Cann | Jaguars | 1,113 |
| Jermey Parnell | Jaguars | 1,113 |
| Eric Fisher | Chiefs | 1,022 |
| Mitchell Schwartz | Chiefs | 1,022 |
| Tim Barnes | Rams | 1,004 |
| Ereck Flowers | Giants | 1,062 |
| Rodney Hudson | Raiders | 1,116 |
| Jason Kelce | Eagles | 1,131 |
| Alejandro Villanueva | Steelers | 1,083 |
| Mark Glowinski | Seahawks | 1,058 |
| Zane Beadles | 49ers | 1,036 |
| Trent Brown | 49ers | 1,036 |
| Donovan Smith | Buccaneers | 1,135 |
| Ali Marpet | Buccaneers | 1,135 |
| Source: ESPN Stats & Information | ||
For more on players who have a record number of snaps:
