List of NFL career passing yards leaders


This list shows the top National Football League quarterbacks with the top 50 players with the most career regular season passing yards, the NFL playoff passing yards leaders with at least 2,500 yards, and the historical progression of regular season record holders. Quarterback totals from the American Football League and All-American Football Conference are also recognized by the NFL and are included.
Tom Brady holds both the regular season record, with 89,214 passing yards, and the playoff record, with 13,400 yards.
In American football, passing, along with running, is one of the two main methods of advancing the ball down the field. Passes are typically attempted by the quarterback, but any offensive player can attempt a pass provided they are behind the line of scrimmage. To qualify as a passing play, the ball must have initially moved forward after leaving the hands of the passer; if the ball initially moved laterally or backwards, the play would instead be considered a running play. The amount of passing yards recorded by each quarterback is a recorded stat in football games.

Regular season career passing yards leaders

SymbolMeaning
YdsCareer passing yardage
GPGames played
YPGAverage yardage per game
Pro Football Hall of Famer
^Active

Through season.
RankPlayerTeamSeasons
189,214335266.3New England Patriots
189,214335266.3Tampa Bay Buccaneers
280,358287280San Diego Chargers
280,358287280New Orleans Saints
371,940266270.5Indianapolis Colts
371,940266270.5Denver Broncos
471,838302237.9Atlanta Falcons
471,838302237.9Green Bay Packers
471,838302237.9New York Jets
471,838302237.9Minnesota Vikings
5^66,274264251Green Bay Packers
5^66,274264251New York Jets
5^66,274264251Pittsburgh Steelers–present
6^64,516239269.9Detroit Lions
6^64,516239269.9Los Angeles Rams–present
764,088249257.4Pittsburgh Steelers
863,984247259San Diego/L.A. Chargers
863,984247259Indianapolis Colts,
962,792234268.3Atlanta Falcons
962,792234268.3Indianapolis Colts
1061,361243253.6Miami Dolphins
1157,023236241.6New York Giants
1251,475234220Denver Broncos
1349,325208237.1Houston Oilers
1349,325208237.1Minnesota Vikings
1349,325208237.1Seattle Seahawks
1349,325208237.1Kansas City Chiefs
14^48,176209230.5Baltimore Ravens
14^48,176209230.5Denver Broncos
14^48,176209230.5New York Jets,
14^48,176209230.5Philadelphia Eagles
14^48,176209230.5Cleveland Browns,
14^48,176209230.5Indianapolis Colts
14^48,176209230.5Cincinnati Bengals–present
1547,003246191.1Minnesota Vikings,
1547,003246191.1New York Giants
16^46,966205229.1Seattle Seahawks
16^46,966205229.1Denver Broncos
16^46,966205229.1Pittsburgh Steelers
16^46,966205229.1New York Giants–present
1746,247182254.1Cincinnati Bengals
1746,247182254.1Oakland Raiders
1746,247182254.1Arizona Cardinals
1846,233233198.4Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1846,233233198.4Cleveland Browns
1846,233233198.4Baltimore Ravens
1846,233233198.4New York Jets,
1846,233233198.4Dallas Cowboys
1846,233233198.4New England Patriots
1846,233233198.4Carolina Panthers
19^44,700174256.9Washington Redskins
19^44,700174256.9Minnesota Vikings
19^44,700174256.9Atlanta Falcons-Present
2044,611194230New England Patriots
2044,611194230Buffalo Bills
2044,611194230Dallas Cowboys
2143,040181237.8San Diego Chargers
2241,245169244.1Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders
2241,245169244.1New Orleans Saints
2340,922198206.7Carolina Panthers
2340,922198206.7New Orleans Saints
2340,922198206.7New York Giants
2340,922198206.7Oakland Raiders
2340,922198206.7Tennessee Titans
2340,922198206.7Indianapolis Colts
2440,551192211.2San Francisco 49ers
2440,551192211.2Kansas City Chiefs
2540,239211190.7Baltimore Colts
2540,239211190.7San Diego Chargers
26^39,793179222.3Cincinnati Bengals
26^39,793179222.3Dallas Cowboys
26^39,793179222.3Chicago Bears
26^39,793179222.3New Orleans Saints
26^39,793179222.3Carolina Panthers–present
27^39,622151262.4Los Angeles Rams
27^39,622151262.4Detroit Lions–present
2838,147213179.1Seattle Seahawks
2838,147213179.1Kansas City Chiefs
2838,147213179.1Detroit Lions
2838,147213179.1Arizona Cardinals
2838,147213179.1Chicago Bears
2838,147213179.1Tennessee Oilers
2937,920187202.8Cincinnati Bengals,
2937,920187202.8New York Jets
2937,920187202.8Arizona Cardinals
3037,276167223.2Philadelphia Eagles
3037,276167223.2Washington Redskins
3037,276167223.2Minnesota Vikings
3136,638209175.3Green Bay Packers
3136,638209175.3Seattle Seahawks
3136,638209175.3Tennessee Titans
3136,638209175.3Indianapolis Colts
32^35,989139258.9Dallas Cowboys–present
33^35,939126285.2Kansas City Chiefs–present
3435,650174204.9San Francisco 49ers
3435,650174204.9Kansas City Chiefs
3435,650174204.9Washington Redskins/Football Team
3535,467160221.7Buffalo Bills
3635,133153229.6Denver Broncos
3635,133153229.6Chicago Bears
3635,133153229.6Miami Dolphins
3734,990166210.8St. Louis Rams
3734,990166210.8Cincinnati Bengals
3734,990166210.8Buffalo Bills
3734,990166210.8Tennessee Titans
3734,990166210.8Houston Texans
3734,990166210.8New York Jets
3734,990166210.8Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3734,990166210.8Miami Dolphins
3734,990166210.8Washington Football Team
3834,881155225Miami Dolphins
3834,881155225Tennessee Titans
3934,837158220.5Los Angeles Rams
3934,837158220.5New Orleans Saints
3934,837158220.5San Diego Chargers
4034,665201172.5St. Louis Cardinals
4034,665201172.5Washington Redskins
4134,241206166.2San Francisco 49ers
4134,241206166.2Denver Broncos
4134,241206166.2Tampa Bay Buccaneers,
4134,241206166.2Kansas City Chiefs
4134,241206166.2Miami Dolphins
4134,241206166.2Atlanta Falcons
4234,183156219.1Dallas Cowboys
4333,503224149.6San Diego Chargers
4333,503224149.6Los Angeles Rams
4333,503224149.6Green Bay Packers
4333,503224149.6Houston Oilers
4433,462164204New York Giants
4533,124169196Tampa Bay Buccaneers
4533,124169196San Francisco 49ers
4633,070204162.1Baltimore Colts
4633,070204162.1San Francisco 49ers
4633,070204162.1New York Giants
4732,942165199.6Dallas Cowboys
4832,838192171Cincinnati Bengals
4932,382148218.8Carolina Panthers,
4932,382148218.8New England Patriots
5032,344124260.8St. Louis Rams
5032,344124260.8New York Giants
5032,344124260.8Arizona Cardinals
RankPlayerTeamSeasons