List of National Football League annual passing yards leaders
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. No other quarterback has more than one.
Peyton Manning holds the single-season passing yards record, throwing for 5,477 yards in 2013
Passing yards leaders
Drew Brees led the league in passing yards in 2006, the first of his record seven times.
Jameis Winston is the most recent passing yards leader.
| Set record* |
| Year | Player | Yards | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | Arnie Herber | 639* | Green Bay Packers |
| 1933 | Harry Newman | 973* | New York Giants |
| 1934 | Arnie Herber (2) | 799 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1935 | Ed Danowski | 794 | New York Giants |
| 1936 | Arnie Herber (3) | 1,239* | Green Bay Packers |
| 1937 | Sammy Baugh | 1,127 | Washington Redskins |
| 1938 | Ace Parker | 865 | Brooklyn Dodgers |
| 1939 | Davey O'Brien | 1,324* | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1940 | Sammy Baugh (2) | 1,367* | Washington Redskins |
| 1941 | Cecil Isbell | 1,479* | Green Bay Packers |
| 1942 | Cecil Isbell (2) | 2,021* | Green Bay Packers |
| 1943 | Sid Luckman | 2,194* | Chicago Bears |
| 1944 | Irv Comp | 1,159 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1945 | Sid Luckman (2) | 1,727 | Chicago Bears |
| 1946 | Sid Luckman (3) | 1,826 | Chicago Bears |
| 1947 | Sammy Baugh (3) | 2,938* | Washington Redskins |
| 1948 | Sammy Baugh (4) | 2,599 | Washington Redskins |
| 1949 | Johnny Lujack | 2,658 | Chicago Bears |
| 1950 | Bobby Layne | 2,323 | Detroit Lions |
| 1951 | Bobby Layne (2) | 2,403 | Detroit Lions |
| 1952 | Otto Graham | 2,816 | Cleveland Browns |
| 1953 | Otto Graham (2) | 2,722 | Cleveland Browns |
| 1954 | Norm Van Brocklin | 2,637 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1955 | Jim Finks | 2,270 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1956 | Tobin Rote | 2,203 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1957 | Johnny Unitas | 2,550 | Baltimore Colts |
| 1958 | Bill Wade | 2,875 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1959 | Johnny Unitas (2) | 2,899 | Baltimore Colts |
| 1960 | Johnny Unitas (3) | 3,099* | Baltimore Colts |
| 1961 | Sonny Jurgensen | 3,723* | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1962 | Sonny Jurgensen (2) | 3,261 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1963 | Johnny Unitas (4) | 3,481 | Baltimore Colts |
| 1964 | Charley Johnson | 3,045 | St. Louis Cardinals |
| 1965 | John Brodie | 3,112 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1966 | Sonny Jurgensen (3) | 3,209 | Washington Redskins |
| 1967 | Sonny Jurgensen (4) | 3,747* | Washington Redskins |
| 1968 | John Brodie (2) | 3,020 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1969 | Sonny Jurgensen (5) | 3,102 | Washington Redskins |
| 1970 | John Brodie (3) | 2,941 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1971 | John Hadl | 3,075 | San Diego Chargers |
| 1972 | Joe Namath | 2,816 | New York Jets |
| 1973 | Roman Gabriel | 3,219 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1974 | Ken Anderson | 2,667 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 1975 | Ken Anderson (2) | 3,169 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 1976 | Bert Jones | 3,104 | Baltimore Colts |
| 1977 | Joe Ferguson | 2,803 | Buffalo Bills |
| 1978 | Fran Tarkenton | 3,468 | Minnesota Vikings |
| 1979 | Dan Fouts | 4,082* | San Diego Chargers |
| 1980 | Dan Fouts (2) | 4,715* | San Diego Chargers |
| 1981 | Dan Fouts (3) | 4,802* | San Diego Chargers |
| 1982 | Dan Fouts (4) | 2,883 | San Diego Chargers |
| 1983 | Lynn Dickey | 4,458 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1984 | Dan Marino | 5,084* | Miami Dolphins |
| 1985 | Dan Marino (2) | 4,137 | Miami Dolphins |
| 1986 | Dan Marino (3) | 4,746 | Miami Dolphins |
| 1987 | Neil Lomax | 3,387 | St. Louis Cardinals |
| 1988 | Dan Marino (4) | 4,434 | Miami Dolphins |
| 1989 | Don Majkowski | 4,318 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1990 | Warren Moon | 4,689 | Houston Oilers |
| 1991 | Warren Moon (2) | 4,690 | Houston Oilers |
| 1992 | Dan Marino (5) | 4,116 | Miami Dolphins |
| 1993 | John Elway | 4,030 | Denver Broncos |
| 1994 | Drew Bledsoe | 4,555 | New England Patriots |
| 1995 | Brett Favre | 4,413 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1996 | Mark Brunell | 4,367 | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 1997 | Jeff George | 3,917 | Oakland Raiders |
| 1998 | Brett Favre (2) | 4,212 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1999 | Steve Beuerlein | 4,436 | Carolina Panthers |
| 2000 | Peyton Manning | 4,413 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 2001 | Kurt Warner | 4,830 | St. Louis Rams |
| 2002 | Rich Gannon | 4,689 | Oakland Raiders |
| 2003 | Peyton Manning (2) | 4,267 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 2004 | Daunte Culpepper | 4,717 | Minnesota Vikings |
| 2005 | Tom Brady | 4,110 | New England Patriots |
| 2006 | Drew Brees | 4,418 | New Orleans Saints |
| 2007 | Tom Brady (2) | 4,806 | New England Patriots |
| 2008 | Drew Brees (2) | 5,069 | New Orleans Saints |
| 2009 | Matt Schaub | 4,770 | Houston Texans |
| 2010 | Philip Rivers | 4,710 | San Diego Chargers |
| 2011 | Drew Brees (3) | 5,476* | New Orleans Saints |
| 2012 | Drew Brees (4) | 5,177 | New Orleans Saints |
| 2013 | Peyton Manning (3) | 5,477* | Denver Broncos |
| 2014 | Drew Brees (5) Ben Roethlisberger |
4,952 | New Orleans Saints Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2015 | Drew Brees (6) | 4,870 | New Orleans Saints |
| 2016 | Drew Brees (7) | 5,208 | New Orleans Saints |
| 2017 | Tom Brady (3) | 4,577 | New England Patriots |
| 2018 | Ben Roethlisberger (2) | 5,129 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2019 | Jameis Winston | 5,109 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 2020 | Deshaun Watson | 4,823 | Houston Texans |
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 | 5,235 | New England Patriots | 2011 |
| 4 | Drew Brees (2) | 5,208 | New Orleans Saints | 2016 |
| 5 | Drew Brees (3) | 5,177 | New Orleans Saints | 2012 |
| 6 | Drew Brees (4) | 5,162 | New Orleans Saints | 2013 |
| 7 | Ben Roethlisberger | 5,129 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 2018 |
| 8 | Jameis Winston | 5,109 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2019 |
| 9 | Patrick Mahomes | 5,097 | Kansas City Chiefs | 2018 |
| 10 | Dan Marino | 5,084 | Miami Dolphins | 1984 |
| 11 | Drew Brees (5) | 5,069 | New Orleans Saints | 2008 |
| 12 | Matthew Stafford | 5,038 | Detroit Lions | 2011 |
| 13 | Matthew Stafford (2) | 4,967 | Detroit Lions | 2012 |
| 14 | Drew Brees (6) | 4,952 | New Orleans Saints | 2014 |
| Ben Roethlisberger (2) | Pittsburgh Steelers | 2014 | ||
| 16 | Matt Ryan | 4,944 | Atlanta Falcons | 2016 |
| 17 | Eli Manning | 4,933 | New York Giants | 2011 |
| 18 | Matt Ryan (2) | 4,924 | Atlanta Falcons | 2018 |
| 19 | Kirk Cousins | 4,917 | Washington Redskins | 2016 |
| 20 | Tony Romo | 4,903 | Dallas Cowboys | 2012 |
| 21 | Dak Prescott | 4,902 | Dallas Cowboys | 2019 |
| 22 | Drew Brees (7) | 4,870 | New Orleans Saints | 2015 |
| 23 | Kurt Warner | 4,830 | St. Louis Rams | 2001 |
| 24 | Tom Brady (2) | 4,827 | New England Patriots | 2012 |
| 25 | Deshaun Watson | 4,823 | Houston Texans | 2020 |
| 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, Washington Redskins |
| 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 | |
| 3 | Arnie Herber | 1932, 1934, 1936 | Green Bay Packers |
| John Brodie | 1965, 1968, 1970 | San Francisco 49ers | |
| Peyton Manning | 2000, 2003, 2013 | Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos | |
| Tom Brady | 2005, 2007, 2017 | New England Patriots | |
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
References
- "NFL Passing Yards Single-Season Leaders". Pro Football Reference.com. 2019-10-21.
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