If you’ve spent any time at all watching ESPN over the last twenty years, you know the face. You know the chalkboard. You definitely know the dry, Memphis-born wit that basically defined the "grumpy but brilliant" sports columnist archetype for an entire generation. But lately, especially with the shifting landscape of sports media and some major changes at the Worldwide Leader, people are asking one specific question more than ever: how old is Woody Paige?
It’s a fair thing to wonder. The guy has been a fixture on our screens and in our newspapers since before most current NFL players were even born. He’s outlasted shows, networks, and eras of journalism that seem like ancient history now.
The Numbers: How Old Is Woody Paige Exactly?
Let’s get the hard facts out of the way so you aren't guessing. Woody Paige was born on June 27, 1946. Doing the math for 2026, that means Woody is 79 years old and will hit the big 80 this summer.
Honestly, the fact that he's still cranking out columns and making media appearances at nearly 80 is nothing short of incredible. Most people in this business burn out by 50 or get "moved to pasture" by 60. Not Woody. He’s still got that same sharpness he had back when he was a kid writing for the Whitehaven Press in Tennessee.
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A Career That Spans Eras
To understand why his age matters, you have to look at what he’s seen. We aren’t just talking about a guy who knows sports; we’re talking about a guy who has lived through the literal evolution of modern American culture. He didn't just cover the Broncos’ Super Bowl wins. He was around for the Civil Rights marches in the 60s. He covered the aftermath of 9/11 at Ground Zero.
He’s written over 10,000 columns. Just think about that number for a second. Ten thousand. If you wrote one column every single day without a day off, it would take you over 27 years to hit that mark. Woody has been doing it for over 60 years.
Why Everyone Is Asking About Him Now
The surge in interest about how old is Woody Paige isn't just random curiosity. It’s mostly because of the massive shake-up at ESPN. If you missed it, the iconic show Around the Horn—where Woody was the winningest (and losingest) panelist of all time—finally aired its last episode in May 2025.
That show was a staple for 23 years. When it went off the air, it felt like the end of an era for sports fans who grew up watching Woody trade barbs with Tim Cowlishaw or J.A. Adande. Seeing him get emotional during those final episodes made a lot of us realize just how long he’s been a part of our daily routine.
Then there’s the health stuff. Woody is a tough guy, but he hasn't hidden the fact that he’s dealt with some real-world battles. He recently went through surgery for melanoma, which left him with a pretty significant scar on his face. In typical Woody fashion, he just grew a beard to cover it and kept on working. That kind of "show must go on" attitude is exactly why he’s still relevant at 79.
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The Denver Connection
While the rest of the country knows him from ESPN, folks in Colorado know him as the soul of Denver sports writing. He’s the only person to ever write for all three of the state’s biggest papers: the Rocky Mountain News, The Denver Post, and now The Denver Gazette.
Even as he approaches 80, he isn't sitting on a porch somewhere. He’s still a columnist for The Gazette. He’s still a voter for the Baseball Hall of Fame. He’s still a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee. Basically, if there’s a major decision being made in the sports world, Woody probably has a hand in it.
The Secret to His Longevity
How does a guy stay this active at 79? It’s not just luck. If you follow his work, you realize Woody has a weirdly modern perspective for someone of his generation. He never got "stuck" in the past.
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- He adapted to TV: When most newspaper guys were mocking the "talking heads" on ESPN, Woody jumped right in.
- He embraced the "character": He knew the chalkboard and the jokes were a bit of a gimmick, but he also knew they made people pay attention to his actual analysis.
- He stayed local: Despite the national fame, he never left Colorado. That kept him grounded.
He once joked that his first journalism job was in the third grade, writing for the Cherokee Chit-Chat. He’s been a professional writer since he was 16. That’s over six decades of hitting deadlines. Most people would have lost their minds by now.
What’s Next for the Legend?
Even though Around the Horn is gone, don't expect Woody to just vanish. He’s still very active on his own site, WoodyPaige.com, and he’s still a regular on podcasts and local Denver media.
People ask how old is Woody Paige because they're looking for signs of him slowing down. But if history is any indication, he’ll probably be writing columns and making chalkboard jokes well into his 80s. He’s seen the Broncos go from being a joke to a dynasty (and back again). He’s seen the NBA change from a fringe sport to a global powerhouse. Through all of it, he’s stayed the same guy from Memphis who just happens to have a very loud opinion and a piece of chalk.
If you're looking to keep up with Woody, the best way is to follow his Sunday columns in The Denver Gazette. He’s still doing the deep dives into the Broncos and the Nuggets that made him famous in the first place. You can also find him guesting on various sports podcasts where he isn't restricted by the "mute" button anymore.
To really get the full Woody Paige experience, look for his books, specifically his "Chalkboard" collections. They give you a glimpse into the mind of a guy who has spent 60 years trying to find the humor in a world that often takes sports way too seriously.
Check out The Denver Gazette digital edition or visit WoodyPaige.com to see his latest rants. If you've only ever seen him on TV, reading his long-form columns is a totally different experience that shows why he’s a member of the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.