NFL Single-Season Passing Yards Record Progression

Every season that raised the bar, and the leader in every season between.

The NFL single-season passing yards record is 5,535, set by Drew Brees in 2011. It has stood for 14 years. The mark has been raised 16 times since 1932.

YDS TD RTG Y/A CMP%Y/G CMP ATT 1D TD%INT INT%SK

Record Holders

17 marks since 1932

Year	Player	YDS	Stood for
2011	Drew Brees	5,535	still standing
1984	Dan Marino	5,084	27 years
1981	Dan Fouts	4,802	3 years
1980	Dan Fouts	4,715	1 year
1979	Dan Fouts	4,082	1 year
1967	Sonny Jurgensen	3,747	12 years
1961	Sonny Jurgensen	3,723	6 years
1960	Johnny Unitas	3,099	1 year
1947	Sammy Baugh	2,938	13 years
1943	Sid Luckman	2,194	4 years
1942	Cecil Isbell	2,021	1 year
1941	Cecil Isbell	1,479	1 year
1940	Sammy Baugh	1,367	1 year
1939	Davey O'Brien	1,324	1 year
1936	Arnie Herber	1,239	3 years
1933	Harry Newman	973	3 years
1932	Arnie Herber	639	1 year

The earliest marks here are records only in the sense that nobody had done better yet. Season length, schedule and the rules themselves have all changed, so a figure from the 1870s is not comparable with a modern one and is not offered as though it were.

Every Season

95 seasons

Year	Leader	YDS
2025	Matthew Stafford	4,707
2024	Joe Burrow	4,918
2023	Tua Tagovailoa	4,624
2022	Patrick Mahomes	5,250
2021	Tom Brady	5,316
2020	Deshaun Watson	4,823
2019	Jameis Winston	5,109
2018	Ben Roethlisberger	5,129
2017	Tom Brady	4,577
2016	Drew Brees	5,208
2015	Drew Brees	4,870
2014	Drew Brees	4,952
2014	Ben Roethlisberger	4,952
2013	Peyton Manning	5,477
2012	Drew Brees	5,177
2011	Drew Brees	5,535	new record
2010	Philip Rivers	4,710
2009	Matt Schaub	4,770
2008	Drew Brees	5,069
2007	Tom Brady	4,806
2006	Drew Brees	4,424
2005	Tom Brady	4,110
2004	Daunte Culpepper	4,717
2003	Peyton Manning	4,267
2002	Rich Gannon	4,689
2001	Kurt Warner	4,830
2000	Peyton Manning	4,413
1999	Steve Beuerlein	4,436
1998	Brett Favre	4,212
1997	Jeff George	3,917
1996	Mark Brunell	4,367
1995	Brett Favre	4,413
1994	Drew Bledsoe	4,555
1993	John Elway	4,030
1992	Dan Marino	4,116
1991	Warren Moon	4,690
1990	Warren Moon	4,689
1989	Don Majkowski	4,318
1988	Dan Marino	4,434
1987	Neil Lomax	3,387
1986	Dan Marino	4,746
1985	Dan Marino	4,137
1984	Dan Marino	5,084	new record
1983	Lynn Dickey	4,458
1982	Dan Fouts	2,883
1981	Dan Fouts	4,802	new record
1980	Dan Fouts	4,715	new record
1979	Dan Fouts	4,082	new record
1978	Fran Tarkenton	3,468
1977	Joe Ferguson	2,803
1976	Bert Jones	3,104
1975	Ken Anderson	3,169
1974	Ken Anderson	2,667
1973	Roman Gabriel	3,219
1972	Joe Namath	2,816
1971	John Hadl	3,075
1970	John Brodie	2,941
1969	Sonny Jurgensen	3,102
1968	John Brodie	3,020
1967	Sonny Jurgensen	3,747	new record
1966	Sonny Jurgensen	3,209
1965	John Brodie	3,112
1964	Charley Johnson	3,045
1963	Johnny Unitas	3,481
1962	Sonny Jurgensen	3,261
1961	Sonny Jurgensen	3,723	new record
1960	Johnny Unitas	3,099	new record
1959	Johnny Unitas	2,899
1958	Billy Wade	2,875
1957	Johnny Unitas	2,550
1956	Tobin Rote	2,203
1955	Jim Finks	2,270
1954	Norm Van Brocklin	2,637
1953	Otto Graham	2,722
1952	Otto Graham	2,816
1951	Bobby Layne	2,403
1950	Bobby Layne	2,323
1949	Johnny Lujack	2,658
1948	Sammy Baugh	2,599
1947	Sammy Baugh	2,938	new record
1946	Sid Luckman	1,826
1945	Sid Luckman	1,727
1944	Irv Comp	1,159
1943	Sid Luckman	2,194	new record
1942	Cecil Isbell	2,021	new record
1941	Cecil Isbell	1,479	new record
1940	Sammy Baugh	1,367	new record
1939	Davey O'Brien	1,324	new record
1938	Ace Parker	865
1937	Sammy Baugh	1,127
1936	Arnie Herber	1,239	new record
1935	Ed Danowski	794
1934	Arnie Herber	799
1933	Harry Newman	973	new record
1932	Arnie Herber	639	new record