NFL Yearly Leaders - Passing Yards

The following is a list of the NFL yearly passing leaders ranked by passing yards. Statistics are current through the 2020 NFL season and include stats accrued in NFL, AFL and APFA games.

      Passing
Year Player Team Att Cmp Pct Yds Int TD Lg Rating
2020 D. Watson Hou 544 382 70.2 4,823 7 33 77t 112.4
2019 J. Winston TB 626 380 60.7 5,109 30 33 71t 84.3
2018 B. Roethlisberger Pit 675 452 67.0 5,129 16 34 97t 96.5
2017 T. Brady NE 581 385 66.3 4,577 8 32 64t 102.8
2016 D. Brees NO 673 471 70.0 5,208 15 37 98t 101.7
2015 D. Brees NO 627 428 68.3 4,870 11 32 80t 101.0
2014 D. Brees NO 659 456 69.2 4,952 17 33 69t 97.0
  B. Roethlisberger Pit 608 408 67.1 4,952 9 32 94t 103.3
2013 P. Manning Den 659 450 68.3 5,477 10 55 78t 115.1
2012 D. Brees NO 670 422 63.0 5,177 19 43 80t 96.3
2011 D. Brees NO 657 468 71.2 5,476 14 46 79t 110.6
2010 P. Rivers SD 541 357 66.0 4,710 13 30 59t 101.8
2009 M. Schaub Hou 583 396 67.9 4,770 15 29 72t 98.6
2008 D. Brees NO 635 413 65.0 5,069 17 34 84t 96.2
2007 T. Brady NE 578 398 68.9 4,806 8 50 69t 117.2
2006 D. Brees NO 554 356 64.3 4,418 11 26 86t 96.2
2005 T. Brady NE 530 334 63.0 4,110 14 26 71 92.3
2004 D. Culpepper Min 548 379 69.2 4,717 11 39 82t 110.9
2003 P. Manning Ind 566 379 67.0 4,267 10 29 79t 99.0
2002 R. Gannon Oak 618 418 67.6 4,689 10 26 75 97.3
2001 K. Warner Stl 546 375 68.7 4,830 22 36 65t 101.4
2000 P. Manning Ind 571 357 62.5 4,413 15 33 78t 94.7
1999 S. Beuerlein Car 571 343 60.1 4,436 15 36 88t 94.6
1998 B. Favre GB 551 347 63.0 4,212 23 31 84t 87.8
1997 J. George Oak 521 290 55.7 3,917 9 29 76 91.2
1996 M. Brunell Jax 557 353 63.4 4,367 20 19 62 84.0
1995 B. Favre GB 570 359 63.0 4,413 13 38 99t 99.5
1994 D. Bledsoe NE 691 400 57.9 4,555 27 25 62t 73.6
1993 J. Elway Den 551 348 63.2 4,030 10 25 63 92.8
1992 D. Marino Mia 554 330 59.6 4,116 16 24 62t 85.1
1991 W. Moon Hou 655 404 61.7 4,690 21 23 61t 81.7
1990 W. Moon Hou 584 362 62.0 4,689 13 33 87t 96.8
1989 D. Majkowski GB 599 353 58.9 4,318 20 27 79t 82.3
1988 D. Marino Mia 606 354 58.4 4,434 23 28 80t 80.8
1987 N. Lomax Stl 463 275 59.4 3,387 12 24 57 88.5
1986 D. Marino Mia 623 378 60.7 4,746 23 44 85t 92.5
1985 D. Marino Mia 567 336 59.3 4,137 21 30 73 84.1
1984 D. Marino Mia 564 362 64.2 5,084 17 48 80t 108.9
1983 L. Dickey GB 484 289 59.7 4,458 29 32 75t 87.3
1982 D. Fouts SD 330 204 61.8 2,883 11 17 44t 93.3
1981 D. Fouts SD 609 360 59.1 4,802 17 33 67t 90.6
1980 D. Fouts SD 589 348 59.1 4,715 24 30 65 84.7
1979 D. Fouts SD 530 332 62.6 4,082 24 24 65t 82.6
1978 F. Tarkenton Min 572 345 60.3 3,468 32 25 58t 68.9
1977 J. Ferguson Buf 457 221 48.4 2,803 24 12 42 54.8
1976 B. Jones Bal 343 207 60.3 3,104 9 24 79t 102.5
1975 K. Anderson Cin 377 228 60.5 3,169 11 21 55 93.9
1974 K. Anderson Cin 328 213 64.9 2,667 10 18 77t 95.7
1973 R. Gabriel Phi 460 270 58.7 3,219 12 23 80t 86.0
1972 J. Namath NYJ 324 162 50.0 2,816 21 19 83t 72.5
1971 J. Hadl SD 431 233 54.1 3,075 25 21 77t 68.9
1970 J. Brodie SF 378 223 59.0 2,941 10 24 79t 93.8
1969 D. Lamonica (AFL) Oak 426 221 51.9 3,302 25 34 80t 79.8
  S. Jurgensen (NFL) Was 442 274 62.0 3,102 15 22 88t 85.4
1968 J. Hadl (AFL) SD 440 208 47.3 3,473 32 27 84t 64.5
  J. Brodie (NFL) SF 404 234 57.9 3,020 21 22 65t 78.0
1967 J. Namath (AFL) NYJ 491 258 52.5 4,007 28 26 75t 73.8
  S. Jurgensen (NFL) Was 508 288 56.7 3,747 16 31 86t 87.3
1966 J. Namath (AFL) NYJ 471 232 49.3 3,379 27 19 77t 62.6
  S. Jurgensen (NFL) Was 436 254 58.3 3,209 19 28 86t 84.5
1965 J. Hadl (AFL) SD 348 174 50.0 2,798 21 20 85t 71.3
  J. Brodie (NFL) SF 391 242 61.9 3,112 16 30 59t 95.3
1964 B. Parilli (AFL) Bos 473 228 48.2 3,465 27 31 80t 70.8
  C. Johnson (NFL) Stl 420 223 53.1 3,045 24 21 78t 69.4
1963 G. Blanda (AFL) Hou 423 224 53.0 3,003 25 24 80t 70.1
  J. Unitas (NFL) Bal 410 237 57.8 3,481 12 20 64t 89.7
1962 F. Tripucka (AFL) Den 440 240 54.5 2,917 25 17 96t 64.4
  S. Jurgensen (NFL) Phi 366 196 53.6 3,261 26 22 84 74.3
1961 G. Blanda (AFL) Hou 362 187 51.7 3,330 22 36 80t 91.3
  S. Jurgensen (NFL) Phi 416 235 56.5 3,723 24 32 69 88.1
1960 F. Tripucka (AFL) Den 478 248 51.9 3,038 34 24 80t 58.9
  J. Unitas (NFL) Bal 378 190 50.3 3,099 24 25 80t 73.7
1959 J. Unitas Bal 367 193 52.6 2,899 14 32 71 92.0
1958 B. Wade LA 341 181 53.1 2,875 22 18 93t 72.2
1957 J. Unitas Bal 301 172 57.1 2,550 17 24 82t 88.0
1956 T. Rote GB 308 146 47.4 2,203 15 18 66 70.6
1955 J. Finks Pit 344 165 48.0 2,270 26 10 62 47.7
1954 N. Van Brocklin LA 260 139 53.5 2,637 21 13 80 71.9
1953 O. Graham Cle 258 167 64.7 2,722 9 11 70 99.7
1952 O. Graham Cle 364 181 49.7 2,816 24 20 68 66.6
1951 B. Layne Det 332 152 45.8 2,403 23 26 63 67.6
1950 B. Layne Det 336 152 45.2 2,323 18 16 82 62.1