NFL Passing Yards Year-by-Year Leaders
For some seasons (1960-1969 & 1947-1950) leaders for both leagues are shown.
+ Indicates Hall of Famer, season age in parentheses
Leaders
Year | Player | Yds | Tm |
---|---|---|---|
2024 | Joe Burrow (27) | 3,028 | CIN |
2023 | Tua Tagovailoa (25) | 4,624 | MIA |
2022 | Patrick Mahomes (26) | 5,250 | KAN |
2021 | Tom Brady (44) | 5,316 | TAM |
2020 | Deshaun Watson (24) | 4,823 | HOU |
2019 | Jameis Winston (25) | 5,109 | TAM |
2018 | Ben Roethlisberger (36) | 5,129 | PIT |
2017 | Tom Brady (40) | 4,577 | NWE |
2016 | Drew Brees (37) | 5,208 | NOR |
2015 | Drew Brees (36) | 4,870 | NOR |
2014 | Drew Brees (35) | 4,952 | NOR |
2014 | Ben Roethlisberger (32) | 4,952 | PIT |
2013 | Peyton Manning+ (37) | 5,477 | DEN |
2012 | Drew Brees (33) | 5,177 | NOR |
2011 | Drew Brees (32) | 5,476 | NOR |
2010 | Philip Rivers (28) | 4,710 | SDG |
2009 | Matt Schaub (28) | 4,770 | HOU |
2008 | Drew Brees (29) | 5,069 | NOR |
2007 | Tom Brady (30) | 4,806 | NWE |
2006 | Drew Brees (27) | 4,418 | NOR |
2005 | Tom Brady (28) | 4,110 | NWE |
2004 | Daunte Culpepper (27) | 4,717 | MIN |
2003 | Peyton Manning+ (27) | 4,267 | IND |
2002 | Rich Gannon (36) | 4,689 | OAK |
2001 | Kurt Warner+ (30) | 4,830 | STL |
2000 | Peyton Manning+ (24) | 4,413 | IND |
1999 | Steve Beuerlein (34) | 4,436 | CAR |
1998 | Brett Favre+ (28) | 4,212 | GNB |
1997 | Jeff George (29) | 3,917 | OAK |
1996 | Mark Brunell (25) | 4,367 | JAX |
1995 | Brett Favre+ (25) | 4,413 | GNB |
1994 | Drew Bledsoe (22) | 4,555 | NWE |
1993 | John Elway+ (33) | 4,030 | DEN |
1992 | Dan Marino+ (30) | 4,116 | MIA |
1991 | Warren Moon+ (34) | 4,690 | HOU |
1990 | Warren Moon+ (33) | 4,689 | HOU |
1989 | Don Majkowski (25) | 4,318 | GNB |
1988 | Dan Marino+ (26) | 4,434 | MIA |
1987 | Neil Lomax (28) | 3,387 | STL |
1986 | Dan Marino+ (24) | 4,746 | MIA |
1985 | Dan Marino+ (23) | 4,137 | MIA |
1984 | Dan Marino+ (22) | 5,084 | MIA |
1983 | Lynn Dickey (33) | 4,458 | GNB |
1982 | Dan Fouts+ (31) | 2,883 | SDG |
1981 | Dan Fouts+ (30) | 4,802 | SDG |
1980 | Dan Fouts+ (29) | 4,715 | SDG |
1979 | Dan Fouts+ (28) | 4,082 | SDG |
1978 | Fran Tarkenton+ (38) | 3,468 | MIN |
1977 | Joe Ferguson (27) | 2,803 | BUF |
1976 | Bert Jones (25) | 3,104 | BAL |
1975 | Ken Anderson (26) | 3,169 | CIN |
1974 | Ken Anderson (25) | 2,667 | CIN |
1973 | Roman Gabriel (33) | 3,219 | PHI |
1972 | Joe Namath+ (29) | 2,816 | NYJ |
1971 | John Hadl (31) | 3,075 | SDG |
1970 | John Brodie (35) | 2,941 | SFO |
1969 | Daryle Lamonica (28) | 3,302 | OAK |
1969 | Sonny Jurgensen+ (35) | 3,102 | WAS |
1968 | John Hadl (28) | 3,473 | SDG |
1968 | John Brodie (33) | 3,020 | SFO |
1967 | Joe Namath+ (24) | 4,007 | NYJ |
1967 | Sonny Jurgensen+ (33) | 3,747 | WAS |
1966 | Joe Namath+ (23) | 3,379 | NYJ |
1966 | Sonny Jurgensen+ (32) | 3,209 | WAS |
1965 | John Brodie (30) | 3,112 | SFO |
1965 | John Hadl (25) | 2,798 | SDG |
1964 | Babe Parilli (34) | 3,465 | BOS |
1964 | Charley Johnson (25) | 3,045 | STL |
1963 | Johnny Unitas+ (30) | 3,481 | BAL |
1963 | George Blanda+ (35) | 3,003 | HOU |
1962 | Sonny Jurgensen+ (28) | 3,261 | PHI |
1962 | Frank Tripucka (34) | 2,917 | DEN |
1961 | Sonny Jurgensen+ (27) | 3,723 | PHI |
1961 | George Blanda+ (33) | 3,330 | HOU |
1960 | Johnny Unitas+ (27) | 3,099 | BAL |
1960 | Frank Tripucka (32) | 3,038 | DEN |
1959 | Johnny Unitas+ (26) | 2,899 | BAL |
1958 | Billy Wade (27) | 2,875 | RAM |
1957 | Johnny Unitas+ (24) | 2,550 | BAL |
1956 | Tobin Rote (28) | 2,203 | GNB |
1955 | Jim Finks+ (28) | 2,270 | PIT |
1954 | Norm Van Brocklin+ (28) | 2,637 | RAM |
1953 | Otto Graham+ (31) | 2,722 | CLE |
1952 | Otto Graham+ (30) | 2,816 | CLE |
1951 | Bobby Layne+ (24) | 2,403 | DET |
1950 | Bobby Layne+ (23) | 2,323 | DET |
1949 | Otto Graham+ (27) | 2,785 | CLE |
1949 | Johnny Lujack (24) | 2,658 | CHI |
1948 | Otto Graham+ (26) | 2,713 | CLE |
1948 | Sammy Baugh+ (34) | 2,599 | WAS |
1947 | Sammy Baugh+ (33) | 2,938 | WAS |
1947 | Otto Graham+ (25) | 2,753 | CLE |
1946 | Glenn Dobbs (26) | 1,886 | BDA |
1946 | Sid Luckman+ (29) | 1,826 | CHI |
1945 | Sid Luckman+ (28) | 1,727 | CHI |
1944 | Irv Comp (25) | 1,159 | GNB |
1943 | Sid Luckman+ (26) | 2,194 | CHI |
1942 | Cecil Isbell (27) | 2,021 | GNB |
1941 | Cecil Isbell (26) | 1,479 | GNB |
1940 | Sammy Baugh+ (26) | 1,367 | WAS |
1939 | Davey O'Brien (22) | 1,324 | PHI |
1938 | Ace Parker+ (26) | 865 | BKN |
1937 | Sammy Baugh+ (23) | 1,127 | WAS |
1936 | Arnie Herber+ (26) | 1,239 | GNB |
1935 | Ed Danowski (23) | 794 | NYG |
1934 | Arnie Herber+ (24) | 799 | GNB |
1933 | Harry Newman (24) | 973 | NYG |
1932 | Arnie Herber+ (22) | 639 | GNB |
We're Social...for Statheads
Every Sports Reference Social Media Account
Site Last Updated: Saturday, November 23, 9:02AM
Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction?
Subscribe to our Free Email Newsletter
Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE
Your All-Access Ticket to the Pro Football Reference Database
Do you have a sports website? Or write about sports? We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Find out more.