List of NFL annual passing yards leaders


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. A player who catches a forward pass is a receiver. Passing yards are measured in flat yards along one direction of the field, always starting from the line of scrimmage and ending at the point that the receiver is ruled down. If the receiver reaches the end zone and scores a touchdown, then the yardage measurement ends at the opposing team's goal line. Passing yards do not include incomplete throws.
The National Football League did not begin keeping official records until the season. In addition to the overall NFL passing yards leaders, league record books recognize the passing yards leaders of the American Football League, which operated from 1960 to 1969 before being absorbed into the NFL in 1970. The NFL also recognizes the statistics of the All-America Football Conference, which operated from 1946 to 1949 before three of its teams were merged into the NFL, since 2025.
The record for passing yards in a season is held by Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos who passed for 5,477 yards in 2013. Drew Brees has led the NFL in passing yards in seven seasons, more than any other quarterback in NFL history. Brees has also passed for over 5,000 yards in a season five times, whereas no other player has done so more than twice. Patrick Mahomes led the league in passing yards in and became the first player in the Super Bowl era to do so and win a league championship in the same season.

NFL annual passing yards leaders

SymbolMeaning
LeaderThe player who recorded the most passing yards in the NFL
YdsThe total number of passing yards the player had
GPThe number of games played by a player during the season
Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
^Active player
*Set the single-season passing yards record
Denotes the number of times a player appears in this list

SeasonLeaderTeam
639*14Green Bay Packers
973*14New York Giants
79911Green Bay Packers
79412New York Giants
1239*12Green Bay Packers
112711Washington Redskins
86511Brooklyn Dodgers
1324*11Philadelphia Eagles
1367*11Washington Redskins
1479*11Green Bay Packers
2021*11Green Bay Packers
2194*10Chicago Bears
115910Green Bay Packers
172710Chicago Bears
182611Chicago Bears
2938*12Washington Redskins
259912Washington Redskins
265812Chicago Bears
232312Detroit Lions
240312Detroit Lions
281612Cleveland Browns
272212Cleveland Browns
263712Los Angeles Rams
227012Pittsburgh Steelers
220312Green Bay Packers
255012Baltimore Colts
287512Los Angeles Rams
289912Baltimore Colts
3099*12Baltimore Colts
3723*14Philadelphia Eagles
326114Philadelphia Eagles
348114Baltimore Colts
304514St. Louis Cardinals
311213San Francisco 49ers
320914Washington Redskins
3747*14Washington Redskins
302014San Francisco 49ers
310214Washington Redskins
294114San Francisco 49ers
307514San Diego Chargers
281613New York Jets
321914Philadelphia Eagles
266713Cincinnati Bengals
316913Cincinnati Bengals
310414Baltimore Colts
280314Buffalo Bills
346816Minnesota Vikings
4082*16San Diego Chargers
4715*16San Diego Chargers
4802*16San Diego Chargers
28839San Diego Chargers
445816Green Bay Packers
5084*16Miami Dolphins
413716Miami Dolphins
474616Miami Dolphins
338712St. Louis Cardinals
443416Miami Dolphins
431816Green Bay Packers
468915Houston Oilers
469016Houston Oilers
411616Miami Dolphins
403016Denver Broncos
455516New England Patriots
441316Green Bay Packers
436716Jacksonville Jaguars
391716Oakland Raiders
421216Green Bay Packers
443616Carolina Panthers
441316Indianapolis Colts
483016St. Louis Rams
468916Oakland Raiders
426716Indianapolis Colts
471716Minnesota Vikings
411016New England Patriots
441816New Orleans Saints
480616New England Patriots
506916New Orleans Saints
477016Houston Texans
471016San Diego Chargers
5476*16New Orleans Saints
517716New Orleans Saints
5477*16Denver Broncos
495216New Orleans Saints
495216Pittsburgh Steelers
487015New Orleans Saints
520816New Orleans Saints
457716New England Patriots
512916Pittsburgh Steelers
^510916Tampa Bay Buccaneers
^482316Houston Texans
531617Tampa Bay Buccaneers
^525017Kansas City Chiefs
^462417Miami Dolphins
^491817Cincinnati Bengals
^470717Los Angeles Rams

AFL annual passing yards leaders

SeasonLeaderTeam
19603,038*14Denver Broncos
19613,330*14Houston Oilers
1962 2,91714Denver Broncos
1963 3,00314Houston Oilers
19643,465*14Boston Patriots
19652,79814San Diego Chargers
19663,37914New York Jets
1967 4,007*14New York Jets
1968 3,47314San Diego Chargers
19693,30214Oakland Raiders

AAFC annual passing yards leaders

SymbolMeaning
LeaderThe player who recorded the most passing yards in the AAFC
YdsThe total number of passing yards the player had
GPThe number of games played by a player during the season
Pro Football Hall of Fame member
*Player set the single-season passing yards record
Denotes the number of times a player appears in this list

SeasonLeaderTeam
19461,88612Brooklyn Dodgers
1947 2,75314Cleveland Browns
1948 2,71314Cleveland Browns
1949 2,78512Cleveland Browns