Demario Davis' $1 Million Routine to Play in the NFL at 37

Unless you are a quarterback or a kicker, playing in the NFL at a high level in your late 30s is almost unheard of. The physicality that comes with playing other positions is just too much to handle.

But when the New York Jets signed Demario Davis in free agency this past spring, fans and NFL pundits saw it as a shrewd move. Not just from the position of leadership, but because the 37-year-old linebacker is still playing great football.

In an interview with Rich Cimini, Davis attributes his longevity to spending nearly $1 million per year on his body. He has a six-person team that travels with him, and utilizes techniques like cupping, scraping, dry-needling, red-light therapy, pulse electromagnetic field therapy and hyperbaric chambers. These provide recovery benefits through various pathways in the body.

In addition, he uses hot and cold tubs, a sauna, and has a personal chef. He maintains a high-protein diet and does a 24-hour fast once per week.

You may ask: does all this stuff really work?

When you do so much at once, it can be hard to tell what's making a tangible difference and what isn't. Davis likely doesn't care, as this collection of therapies has clearly prolonged his career. Overall, the research is mixed and sometimes lacking, but Davis doesn't have time to sit around and wait for randomized controlled trials to appear.

Remarkably, Davis has missed just one game in his 14-year career, so it's hard to argue with the results. The Jets are desperate for leadership and need to show their fans that they are starting to turn things around. Davis has proven to possess this quality, and his off-field investment in his body is an indication of his dedication to the sport.

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This story was originally published June 29, 2026 at 11:00 AM.