List of National Football League annual passing yards leaders
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Peyton Manning holds the single-season passing yards record, throwing for 5,477 yards in 2013
This is a list of National Football League quarterbacks who have led the regular season in passing yards each year. The record for passing yards in a season is held by Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos who threw for 5,477 in 2013. Drew Brees has led the NFL in passing yards in seven seasons, more than any other quarterback in NFL history. Brees also has five 5,000 yard passing seasons.
NFL lists |
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Passing yards leaders[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7f/Drew_Brees_2015.jpg/220px-Drew_Brees_2015.jpg)
Drew Brees led the league in passing yards in 2006, the first of his record seven times.
Set record* |
Top 25 single-season passing yards leaders[]
The NFL requires players to reach certain minimums to qualify as a leader in per-game stats, percentage stats, and passer rating. Since 1978 the minimum number is 14 pass attempts per team game (224 per season). This is the yardage leaders list as compiled by Pro football reference.[1]
Rank | Player | Yards | Team | Season |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Peyton Manning | 5,477 | Denver Broncos | 2013 |
2 | Drew Brees | 5,476 | New Orleans Saints | 2011 |
3 | Tom Brady | 5,316 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2021 |
4 | Tom Brady (2) | 5,235 | New England Patriots | 2011 |
5 | Drew Brees (2) | 5,208 | New Orleans Saints | 2016 |
6 | Drew Brees (3) | 5,177 | New Orleans Saints | 2012 |
7 | Drew Brees (4) | 5,162 | New Orleans Saints | 2013 |
8 | Ben Roethlisberger | 5,129 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 2018 |
9 | Jameis Winston | 5,109 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2019 |
10 | Patrick Mahomes | 5,097 | Kansas City Chiefs | 2018 |
11 | Dan Marino | 5,084 | Miami Dolphins | 1984 |
12 | Drew Brees (5) | 5,069 | New Orleans Saints | 2008 |
13 | Matthew Stafford | 5,038 | Detroit Lions | 2011 |
14 | Justin Herbert | 5,014 | Los Angeles Chargers | 2021 |
15 | Matthew Stafford (2) | 4,967 | Detroit Lions | 2012 |
16 | Drew Brees (6) | 4,952 | New Orleans Saints | 2014 |
Ben Roethlisberger (2) | Pittsburgh Steelers | 2014 | ||
18 | Matt Ryan | 4,944 | Atlanta Falcons | 2016 |
19 | Eli Manning | 4,933 | New York Giants | 2011 |
20 | Matt Ryan (2) | 4,924 | Atlanta Falcons | 2018 |
21 | Kirk Cousins | 4,917 | Washington Redskins | 2016 |
22 | Tony Romo | 4,903 | Dallas Cowboys | 2012 |
23 | Dak Prescott | 4,902 | Dallas Cowboys | 2019 |
24 | Matthew Stafford (3) | 4,886 | Los Angeles Rams | 2021 |
25 | Drew Brees (7) | 4,870 | New Orleans Saints | 2015 |
Rank | Player | Yards | Team | Season |
Other leagues[]
All-America Football Conference (AAFC)[]
Year | Player | Yards | Team |
---|---|---|---|
1946 | Glenn Dobbs | 1,886 | Brooklyn Dodgers |
1947 | Otto Graham | 2,753 | Cleveland Browns |
1948 | Otto Graham | 2,713 | Cleveland Browns |
1949 | Otto Graham | 2,785 | Cleveland Browns |
American Football League (AFL)[]
Year | Player | Yards | Team |
---|---|---|---|
1960 | Frank Tripucka | 3,038 | Denver Broncos |
1961 | George Blanda | 3,330 | Houston Oilers |
1962 | Frank Tripucka | 2,917 | Denver Broncos |
1963 | George Blanda | 3,003 | Houston Oilers |
1964 | Babe Parilli | 3,465 | Boston Patriots |
1965 | John Hadl | 2,798 | San Diego Chargers |
1966 | Joe Namath | 3,379 | New York Jets |
1967 | Joe Namath | 4,007 | New York Jets |
1968 | John Hadl | 3,473 | San Diego Chargers |
1969 | Daryle Lamonica | 3,302 | Oakland Raiders |
Most titles[]
Titles | Player | Years | Team(s) |
---|---|---|---|
7 | Drew Brees | 2006, 2008, 2011–2012, 2014–2016 | New Orleans Saints |
5 | Sonny Jurgensen | 1961–1962, 1966–1967, 1969 | Philadelphia Eagles (2), Washington Redskins (3) |
Dan Marino | 1984–1986, 1988, 1992 | Miami Dolphins | |
4 | Sammy Baugh | 1937, 1940, 1947–1948 | Washington Redskins |
Johnny Unitas | 1957, 1959–1960, 1963 | Baltimore Colts | |
Dan Fouts | 1979–1982 | San Diego Chargers | |
Tom Brady | 2005, 2007, 2017, 2021 | New England Patriots (3) , Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1) | |
3 | Arnie Herber | 1932, 1934, 1936 | Green Bay Packers |
John Brodie | 1965, 1968, 1970 | San Francisco 49ers | |
Peyton Manning | 2000, 2003, 2013 | Indianapolis Colts (2), Denver Broncos (1) |
See also[]
- List of National Football League season passing touchdowns leaders
- List of National Football League season pass completion percentage leaders
- List of National Football League season passer rating leaders
- List of National Football League career passing yards leaders
References[]
- ^ "NFL Passing Yards Single-Season Leaders". Pro Football Reference.com. 2019-10-21.
Categories:
- National Football League records and achievements
- National Football League lists