The NFL’s longest active consecutive snap streak came to an end when Browns left tackle Joe Thomas tore his triceps in the seventh game of the regular season, but there are 32 players who will head into 2018 riding streaks of their own.
Five of those players were Thomas’ teammates in 2017. Guards Joel Bitonio and Kevin Zeitler joined center J.C. Tretter in keeping the iron man tradition alive on the Cleveland offensive line while linebackers Christian Kirksey and Joe Schobert took part in every defensive play for the Browns.
There were only two other non-offensive linemen to join them in accomplishing that feat. Jets linebacker Demario Davis, who played for the Browns in 2016, and Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan were the others. Ryan won the MVP in 2016 while playing all but 21 snaps for Atlanta.
Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com points out that four quarterbacks played every snap in 2016, including Drew Brees of the Saints. Brees missed five snaps during the 2017 season and has played the most snaps of any player in the league over the last five seasons.