10 of the Most Durable Stars in Sports Today
Durability equals longevity. And in sports, longevity is a major key to sustaining success.
Professional sports can be grueling. Injuries pile up, leading bodies to break down. Considering these athletes are constantly performing, it's quite stunning how they can play at a high level for such long periods of time.
We wanted to break down 10 of the most durable stars in sports today. To select them, we first identified athletes considered elite talents in their respective sports. Second, we used continuous games played and age as measuring sticks to help quantify each one of their durable ways.
Check out which 10 names made the definitive list.
Drew Brees
1 of 10
What Drew Brees has accomplished in the city of New Orleans will never be forgotten. His 10 seasons with the Saints have resulted in 48,555 yards, 348 touchdowns and a staggering completion percentage of 67.2.
Brees reshaped what being a Saint is all about. His Super Bowl win in 2009 is the crowning jewel for all of his historic achievements with the team—achievements that include becoming No. 4 all-time in NFL passing yardage.
On a durability front, Brees has stood in the pocket without fail, blistering passes and dissecting defenses dating back to his days with the San Diego Chargers.
Since 2004, Brees has never missed more than one start in a single season. For his career, he's started 216 out of the 217 games he's been active for. Not only has he produced at a towering level, he's also done it without any major injuries getting in the way.
It's been an amazing run for this future Hall of Famer. Brees is definitely a sports star who defines the very essence of durability.
Jamie Benn
2 of 10
The Dallas Stars have themselves an elite player in the form of winger Jamie Benn.
Since he surfaced for the club in 2009, Benn has grown into a statistical monstrosity, finding ways to improve with each passing year.
Last season his play veered into the waters of MVP contention, as he scored 41 goals and dropped 48 assists to go along with it. Because of his on-ice electricity, Mike Helka of the Dallas Morning News spoke about a potential beefy contract extension coming his way.
No wonder. Besides production, he's been a picture of health since 2013. Over the last three seasons, Benn has only missed one regular-season game.
LeBron James
3 of 10
LeBron James isn't just a multi-point weapon on the basketball court. He also happens to be one of the most durable guys around.
James' durability has been celebrated by sports fans—the man has never played less than 62 games in a season—and scientists. Last season's NBA Finals turned into a study session for a group of scientists stationed in Northern England, as reported by ESPN's Tom Haberstroh.
Watching James take on an extended workload brought stunning attention to his longevity. As Haberstroh noted: "At 30, James has already played more NBA minutes than Larry Bird, Magic Johnson or Allen Iverson."
His career has been a marvel from the perspective of stats as well as endurance. Nothing has slowed King James down to date.
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Eli Manning
4 of 10
Eli Manning hasn't missed a single start since he was handed the keys to the New York Giants in late 2004.
The veteran quarterback has proved Big Blue made the right decision by trading for him on draft day. His durability has been there with him through all of the ups—like two Super Bowl wins—and downs of his career.
Manning's Super Bowl wins and countless seasons packed with yardage and touchdowns give him the right to bask in a superstar label. He's achieved a lot for the Giants, leading the club in passing yards, wins and touchdowns thrown.
When he finally walks away from the sport, it's safe to say durability and production are two things we'll remember Manning for.
Robinson Cano
5 of 10
Robinson Cano is a shining of example of durability in professional baseball. Through trials, tribulations and triumphs, the Seattle Mariners second baseman has persevered.
If you really want to know about Cano's rugged ways, all you have to do is look at his games played. In the last nine years, Cano has never suited up for less than 156 games. That's amazing.
He always finds a way to contribute despite baseball's 162-game marathon of constant travel.
While he continues to battle with a wave of media members questioning his production, like David Schoenfield at ESPN, at least Cano can hang his hat on the fact that he always shows up for work, rain or shine.
Joe Thomas
6 of 10
Joe Thomas represents everything great about the left tackle position. His nine seasons with the Cleveland Browns have produced nine-straight Pro Bowl appearances.
Lost in the shuffle of constant turnover in Cleveland is a guy who has become the living blueprint for NFL greatness. Thomas' Pro Bowl mantra stems from his ability to protect a quarterback's blindside and his durability on the gridiron. Nine seasons have also resulted in zero missed starts.
He's a rare exception to the position in terms of health and skill. Take Hall of Fame tackle Jonathan Ogden, for example. Ogden missed a handful of starts over his NFL career and he was still a first-ballot inductee.
At the rate Thomas is going, he will surely follow in Ogden's ground-crushing footsteps.
Joe Thornton
7 of 10
Joe Thornton exudes consistency. The San Jose Sharks center has logged powerful strands of minutes in both the regular and postseason without fail, year after year.
Exploring Thornton's game log showcases exactly what we're talking about. Going back to 2006 as a starting point—his second-full season with the Sharks—the 36-year-old has played in all 82 games on six separate occasions.
Ryan Lambert of Yahoo Sports labeled him an "ageless wonder" earlier this year because of his knack for continued production. He's a throwback player of sorts, and with his team falling just short of a Stanley Cup win, Thornton has also earned his superstar status—even at the age of 36.
Tom Brady
8 of 10
The fact that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is playing at such a high level is astonishing. At 38 years of age, Brady has continuously looked sharp—guiding the Pats to winning records, Super Bowls and offensive dominance.
Whether you love him or can't stand him, No. 12 has earned his fair share of respect. Longtime rival Peyton Manning can attest to that. In 2014, Manning remarked, "Brady is always there. He is always there," according to Anna Fogel of NESN.
It's true. Brady's as durable as they come in terms of NFL QBs. Excluding the knee injury he sustained in 2008, Brady has never missed a start.
New England has thrived under Brady's power. And a good chunk of that power comes from his willingness to stay on the field.
Jaromir Jagr
9 of 10
So far, our case for durability has been strictly focused on athletes who never miss time. But failing to include 44-year-old Jaromir Jagr would be a crime punishable by 18 stunners courtesy of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
Jagr has redefined what it means to have a lasting, productive career.
This past season, Jagr played 79 out of 82 games, registering 66 total points for the Florida Panthers. He gained notoriety for his age-defying performance, even leading Larry Brooks of the New York Post to call him this season's MVP.
Jagr's entire NHL career has been unforgettable. He's currently third in career-points scored behind only Mark Messier and Wayne Gretzky.
Even at 44 years old, the art of durability continues to be on his side.
Francesco Totti
10 of 10
Somewhere tucked away in the ageless chamber that hosts Jaromir Jagr is Roma's Francesco Totti.
At 39 years old, Totti has been a loyal member of Roma since 1992. He's never left the team, never abandoned ship and has always found a multitude of ways to produce.
Paolo Menicucci, writing for UEFA.com, crafted a genuinely in-depth look at why Totti is deemed a hero by Roma fans. The article touches on his loyal ways, production and sophisticated style on the pitch.
Although it's tough to deem him a superstar in the traditional sense—high point totals—he's been a stalwart of Italian soccer and a durable one at that.
Not including Totti here would be a shame, especially when you consider he recently signed on for the 2017 Serie A season.
All stats and information via Sports-Reference.com unless noted otherwise.
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