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

Symbol	Meaning
Yds	Career passing yardage
GP	Games played
YPG	Average yardage per game
	Pro Football Hall of Famer
^	Active

Through season.

Rank	Player				Team	Seasons
1		89,214	335	266.3	New England Patriots
1		89,214	335	266.3	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2		80,358	287	280	San Diego Chargers
2		80,358	287	280	New Orleans Saints
3		71,940	266	270.5	Indianapolis Colts
3		71,940	266	270.5	Denver Broncos
4		71,838	302	237.9	Atlanta Falcons
4		71,838	302	237.9	Green Bay Packers
4		71,838	302	237.9	New York Jets
4		71,838	302	237.9	Minnesota Vikings
5	^	66,274	264	251	Green Bay Packers
5	^	66,274	264	251	New York Jets
5	^	66,274	264	251	Pittsburgh Steelers	–present
6	^	64,516	239	269.9	Detroit Lions
6	^	64,516	239	269.9	Los Angeles Rams	–present
7		64,088	249	257.4	Pittsburgh Steelers
8		63,984	247	259	San Diego/L.A. Chargers
8		63,984	247	259	Indianapolis Colts	,
9		62,792	234	268.3	Atlanta Falcons
9		62,792	234	268.3	Indianapolis Colts
10		61,361	243	253.6	Miami Dolphins
11		57,023	236	241.6	New York Giants
12		51,475	234	220	Denver Broncos
13		49,325	208	237.1	Houston Oilers
13		49,325	208	237.1	Minnesota Vikings
13		49,325	208	237.1	Seattle Seahawks
13		49,325	208	237.1	Kansas City Chiefs
14	^	48,176	209	230.5	Baltimore Ravens
14	^	48,176	209	230.5	Denver Broncos
14	^	48,176	209	230.5	New York Jets	,
14	^	48,176	209	230.5	Philadelphia Eagles
14	^	48,176	209	230.5	Cleveland Browns	,
14	^	48,176	209	230.5	Indianapolis Colts
14	^	48,176	209	230.5	Cincinnati Bengals	–present
15		47,003	246	191.1	Minnesota Vikings	,
15		47,003	246	191.1	New York Giants
16	^	46,966	205	229.1	Seattle Seahawks
16	^	46,966	205	229.1	Denver Broncos
16	^	46,966	205	229.1	Pittsburgh Steelers
16	^	46,966	205	229.1	New York Giants	–present
17		46,247	182	254.1	Cincinnati Bengals
17		46,247	182	254.1	Oakland Raiders
17		46,247	182	254.1	Arizona Cardinals
18		46,233	233	198.4	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
18		46,233	233	198.4	Cleveland Browns
18		46,233	233	198.4	Baltimore Ravens
18		46,233	233	198.4	New York Jets	,
18		46,233	233	198.4	Dallas Cowboys
18		46,233	233	198.4	New England Patriots
18		46,233	233	198.4	Carolina Panthers
19	^	44,700	174	256.9	Washington Redskins
19	^	44,700	174	256.9	Minnesota Vikings
19	^	44,700	174	256.9	Atlanta Falcons	-Present
20		44,611	194	230	New England Patriots
20		44,611	194	230	Buffalo Bills
20		44,611	194	230	Dallas Cowboys
21		43,040	181	237.8	San Diego Chargers
22		41,245	169	244.1	Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders
22		41,245	169	244.1	New Orleans Saints
23		40,922	198	206.7	Carolina Panthers
23		40,922	198	206.7	New Orleans Saints
23		40,922	198	206.7	New York Giants
23		40,922	198	206.7	Oakland Raiders
23		40,922	198	206.7	Tennessee Titans
23		40,922	198	206.7	Indianapolis Colts
24		40,551	192	211.2	San Francisco 49ers
24		40,551	192	211.2	Kansas City Chiefs
25		40,239	211	190.7	Baltimore Colts
25		40,239	211	190.7	San Diego Chargers
26	^	39,793	179	222.3	Cincinnati Bengals
26	^	39,793	179	222.3	Dallas Cowboys
26	^	39,793	179	222.3	Chicago Bears
26	^	39,793	179	222.3	New Orleans Saints
26	^	39,793	179	222.3	Carolina Panthers	–present
27	^	39,622	151	262.4	Los Angeles Rams
27	^	39,622	151	262.4	Detroit Lions	–present
28		38,147	213	179.1	Seattle Seahawks
28		38,147	213	179.1	Kansas City Chiefs
28		38,147	213	179.1	Detroit Lions
28		38,147	213	179.1	Arizona Cardinals
28		38,147	213	179.1	Chicago Bears
28		38,147	213	179.1	Tennessee Oilers
29		37,920	187	202.8	Cincinnati Bengals	,
29		37,920	187	202.8	New York Jets
29		37,920	187	202.8	Arizona Cardinals
30		37,276	167	223.2	Philadelphia Eagles
30		37,276	167	223.2	Washington Redskins
30		37,276	167	223.2	Minnesota Vikings
31		36,638	209	175.3	Green Bay Packers
31		36,638	209	175.3	Seattle Seahawks
31		36,638	209	175.3	Tennessee Titans
31		36,638	209	175.3	Indianapolis Colts
32	^	35,989	139	258.9	Dallas Cowboys	–present
33	^	35,939	126	285.2	Kansas City Chiefs	–present
34		35,650	174	204.9	San Francisco 49ers
34		35,650	174	204.9	Kansas City Chiefs
34		35,650	174	204.9	Washington Redskins/Football Team
35		35,467	160	221.7	Buffalo Bills
36		35,133	153	229.6	Denver Broncos
36		35,133	153	229.6	Chicago Bears
36		35,133	153	229.6	Miami Dolphins
37		34,990	166	210.8	St. Louis Rams
37		34,990	166	210.8	Cincinnati Bengals
37		34,990	166	210.8	Buffalo Bills
37		34,990	166	210.8	Tennessee Titans
37		34,990	166	210.8	Houston Texans
37		34,990	166	210.8	New York Jets
37		34,990	166	210.8	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
37		34,990	166	210.8	Miami Dolphins
37		34,990	166	210.8	Washington Football Team
38		34,881	155	225	Miami Dolphins
38		34,881	155	225	Tennessee Titans
39		34,837	158	220.5	Los Angeles Rams
39		34,837	158	220.5	New Orleans Saints
39		34,837	158	220.5	San Diego Chargers
40		34,665	201	172.5	St. Louis Cardinals
40		34,665	201	172.5	Washington Redskins
41		34,241	206	166.2	San Francisco 49ers
41		34,241	206	166.2	Denver Broncos
41		34,241	206	166.2	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	,
41		34,241	206	166.2	Kansas City Chiefs
41		34,241	206	166.2	Miami Dolphins
41		34,241	206	166.2	Atlanta Falcons
42		34,183	156	219.1	Dallas Cowboys
43		33,503	224	149.6	San Diego Chargers
43		33,503	224	149.6	Los Angeles Rams
43		33,503	224	149.6	Green Bay Packers
43		33,503	224	149.6	Houston Oilers
44		33,462	164	204	New York Giants
45		33,124	169	196	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
45		33,124	169	196	San Francisco 49ers
46		33,070	204	162.1	Baltimore Colts
46		33,070	204	162.1	San Francisco 49ers
46		33,070	204	162.1	New York Giants
47		32,942	165	199.6	Dallas Cowboys
48		32,838	192	171	Cincinnati Bengals
49		32,382	148	218.8	Carolina Panthers	,
49		32,382	148	218.8	New England Patriots
50		32,344	124	260.8	St. Louis Rams
50		32,344	124	260.8	New York Giants
50		32,344	124	260.8	Arizona Cardinals
Rank	Player				Team	Seasons

Playoff leaders

Through start of Super Bowl LX of 2025–26 NFL playoffs. Based on at least 2,500 postseason passing yards.

Rank	Player				Team	Seasons
1		13,400	48	279.2	New England Patriots
1		13,400	48	279.2	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2		7,339	27	271.8	Indianapolis Colts
2		7,339	27	271.8	Denver Broncos
3	^	6,040	23	262.6	Green Bay Packers
3	^	6,040	23	262.6	New York Jets
3	^	6,040	23	262.6	Pittsburgh Steelers	-present
4		5,972	23	259.7	Pittsburgh Steelers
5		5,855	24	244	Atlanta Falcons
5		5,855	24	244	Green Bay Packers
5		5,855	24	244	New York Jets
5		5,855	24	244	Minnesota Vikings
6	^	5,814	21	276.9	Kansas City Chiefs	–present
7		5,772	23	251	San Francisco 49ers
7		5,772	23	251	Kansas City Chiefs
8		5,366	18	298.1	San Diego Chargers
8		5,366	18	298.1	New Orleans Saints
9		4,964	22	225.6	Denver Broncos
10		4,510	18	250.6	Miami Dolphins
11	^	4,056	17	238.6	Seattle Seahawks
11	^	4,056	17	238.6	Denver Broncos
11	^	4,056	17	238.6	Pittsburgh Steelers
11	^	4,056	17	238.6	New York Giants	–present
12		3,952	13	304	St. Louis Rams
12		3,952	13	304	New York Giants
12		3,952	13	304	Arizona Cardinals
13	^	3,932	13	302.5	Detroit Lions
13	^	3,932	13	302.5	Los Angeles Rams	-present
14	^	3,915	15	261	Buffalo Bills	-present
15		3,863	17	227.2	Buffalo Bills
16		3,849	16	240.6	Dallas Cowboys
17		3,833	19	201.7	Pittsburgh Steelers
18		3,752	16	234.5	Philadelphia Eagles
18		3,752	16	234.5	Washington Redskins
18		3,752	16	234.5	Minnesota Vikings
19	^	3,530	16	220.6	Baltimore Ravens
19	^	3,530	16	220.6	Denver Broncos
19	^	3,530	16	220.6	New York Jets	,
19	^	3,530	16	220.6	Philadelphia Eagles
19	^	3,530	16	220.6	Cleveland Browns	,
19	^	3,530	16	220.6	Indianapolis Colts
19	^	3,530	16	220.6	Cincinnati Bengals	–present
20		3,326	22	151.2	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20		3,326	22	151.2	San Francisco 49ers
21		2,965	12	247.1	San Diego/L.A. Chargers
21		2,965	12	247.1	Indianapolis Colts	,
22		2,870	10	287	Houston Oilers
22		2,870	10	287	Minnesota Vikings
22		2,870	10	287	Seattle Seahawks
22		2,870	10	287	Kansas City Chiefs
23		2,817	20	140.9	Dallas Cowboys
24		2,815	12	234.6	New York Giants
25		2,741	11	249.2	Green Bay Packers
25		2,741	11	249.2	Seattle Seahawks
25		2,741	11	249.2	Tennessee Titans
25		2,741	11	249.2	Indianapolis Colts
26		2,672	10	267.2	Atlanta Falcons
26		2,672	10	267.2	Indianapolis Colts
27		2,641	13	203.2	Oakland Raiders
27		2,641	13	203.2	Houston Oilers
27		2,641	13	203.2	New Orleans Saints

Historical passing yards leaders

Eleven players are recognized as having held the record as the NFL's career passing yardage leader. The longest record holder was Fran Tarkenton, who held the record for nineteen years.

	Player	Team while leader	Career passing yards	Season
	Arnie Herber	Green Bay Packers	639	1932
	Arnie Herber	Green Bay Packers	1,295	1933
	Arnie Herber	Green Bay Packers	2,094	1934
	Arnie Herber	Green Bay Packers	2,823	1935
	Arnie Herber	Green Bay Packers	4,062	1936
	Arnie Herber	Green Bay Packers	4,746	1937
	Arnie Herber	Green Bay Packers	5,082	1938
	Arnie Herber	Green Bay Packers	6,189	1939
	Arnie Herber	Green Bay Packers	6,749	1940–1942
	Sammy Baugh	Washington Redskins	8,379	1943
	Sammy Baugh	Washington Redskins	9,228	1944
	Sammy Baugh	Washington Redskins	10,897	1945
	Sammy Baugh	Washington Redskins	12,060	1946
	Sammy Baugh	Washington Redskins	14,998	1947
	Sammy Baugh	Washington Redskins	17,597	1948
	Sammy Baugh	Washington Redskins	19,500	1949
	Sammy Baugh	Washington Redskins	20,630	1950
	Sammy Baugh	Washington Redskins	21,734	1951
	Sammy Baugh	Washington Redskins	21,886	1952–1958
	Bobby Layne	Pittsburgh Steelers	22,063	1959
	Bobby Layne	Pittsburgh Steelers	23,877	1960
	Bobby Layne	Pittsburgh Steelers	25,082	1961
	Bobby Layne	Pittsburgh Steelers	26,768	1962–1963
	Y. A. Tittle	New York Giants	28,339	1964–1967
	Johnny Unitas	Baltimore Colts San Diego Chargers	33,160	1968
	Johnny Unitas	Baltimore Colts San Diego Chargers	35,502	1969
	Johnny Unitas	Baltimore Colts San Diego Chargers	37,715	1970
	Johnny Unitas	Baltimore Colts San Diego Chargers	38,657	1971
	Johnny Unitas	Baltimore Colts San Diego Chargers	39,768	1972
	Johnny Unitas	Baltimore Colts San Diego Chargers	40,239	1973–1975
	Fran Tarkenton	Minnesota Vikings	41,801	1976
	Fran Tarkenton	Minnesota Vikings	43,535	1977
	Fran Tarkenton	Minnesota Vikings	47,003	1978–1994
	Dan Marino	Miami Dolphins	48,841	1995
	Dan Marino	Miami Dolphins	51,636	1996
	Dan Marino	Miami Dolphins	55,416	1997
	Dan Marino	Miami Dolphins	58,913	1998
	Dan Marino	Miami Dolphins	61,361	1999–2006
	Brett Favre	Green Bay Packers New York Jets Minnesota Vikings	61,655	2007
	Brett Favre	Green Bay Packers New York Jets Minnesota Vikings	65,127	2008
	Brett Favre	Green Bay Packers New York Jets Minnesota Vikings	69,329	2009
	Brett Favre	Green Bay Packers New York Jets Minnesota Vikings	71,838	2010–2014
		Denver Broncos	71,940	2015–2017
		New Orleans Saints	74,437	2018
		New Orleans Saints	77,416	2019
		New Orleans Saints	80,358	2020
Since		Tampa Bay Buccaneers	84,520	2021
Since		Tampa Bay Buccaneers	89,214	2022–present
Since		Tampa Bay Buccaneers	-	-	-