While the debate over the greatest quarterback of all time is often settled with rings, the true measure of their aerial dominance is etched in the staggering statistics of passing yards and touchdowns that separate the legends from the rest.
Key Takeaways
- Tom Brady holds the NFL record for most career passing yards by a quarterback with 89,214 yards from 2000-2022 across the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Drew Brees ranks 2nd all-time in NFL career passing yards with 80,358 yards from 2001-2020 primarily with the New Orleans Saints
- Peyton Manning finished 3rd in NFL history with 71,940 passing yards over 18 seasons from 1998-2015 with the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos
- Tom Brady leads NFL in career passing touchdowns with 649 TDs from 2000-2022
- Drew Brees 2nd all-time with 571 passing TDs 2001-2020
- Peyton Manning 3rd with 539 passing TDs 1998-2015
- Tom Brady career playoff passing yards leader with 13,400 yards in 48 games
- Joe Montana 5,772 playoff passing yards, 4 Super Bowls
- Peyton Manning 7,339 playoff yards, 2 Super Bowl wins
- Michael Vick career QB rushing yards leader with 6,109 yards from 2001-2017
- Russell Wilson 2nd among QBs with 5,076 rushing yards through 2023
- Lamar Jackson 3rd with 4,301 rushing yards through 2023 MVP
- Tom Brady leads NFL history with 7 MVP awards as quarterback
- Peyton Manning 5 MVP awards tied record
- Aaron Rodgers 4 MVP awards 2011,2014,2020,2021
Tom Brady leads all quarterbacks in career passing yards and touchdowns.
Awards and Efficiency Metrics
- Tom Brady leads NFL history with 7 MVP awards as quarterback
- Peyton Manning 5 MVP awards tied record
- Aaron Rodgers 4 MVP awards 2011,2014,2020,2021
- Brett Favre 3 MVP awards
- Drew Brees career passer rating leader 98.7 minimum 1500 attempts
- Aaron Rodgers 2nd 103.6 passer rating career
- Peyton Manning single-season passer rating record 121.1 in 2004
- Aaron Rodgers 122.5 passer rating 2011 MVP season record
- Tom Brady career completion percentage 64.3% all-time leader
- Drew Brees 67.7% completion pct career record
- Deshaun Watson 70.6% single-season completion record 2020
- Aaron Rodgers 68.3% single-season 2021
- Lamar Jackson 3 Offensive Player of Year awards
- Matt Ryan 2016 MVP unanimous
- Kurt Warner 2 MVPs 1999-2001
- Rich Gannon 2002 MVP
- Steve Young 1994 MVP and passer rating record 121.8 pre-Rodgers
- Dan Marino 1984 MVP despite no playoffs
- Patrick Mahomes 2 MVPs by age 27
- Joe Burrow high efficiency rookie 67.0% completion 2020
Awards and Efficiency Metrics Interpretation
While Tom Brady hoards MVPs like a dragon with trophies, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers duel in a pristine passer rating realm, and a host of other legends—from Manning's peak to Jackson's flair—remind us that quarterback greatness is a wonderfully messy debate with no single stat to rule them all.
Career Passing Statistics
- Tom Brady holds the NFL record for most career passing yards by a quarterback with 89,214 yards from 2000-2022 across the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Drew Brees ranks 2nd all-time in NFL career passing yards with 80,358 yards from 2001-2020 primarily with the New Orleans Saints
- Peyton Manning finished 3rd in NFL history with 71,940 passing yards over 18 seasons from 1998-2015 with the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos
- Philip Rivers amassed 63,440 career passing yards, ranking 4th all-time, from 2004-2020 with Chargers and Colts
- Brett Favre threw for 71,838 yards over 20 seasons from 1991-2010 with Packers, Jets, and Vikings, 5th all-time
- Ben Roethlisberger totaled 64,088 passing yards in 18 seasons from 2004-2021 all with Pittsburgh Steelers, 6th all-time
- Matt Ryan accumulated 62,792 passing yards from 2008-2022 with Falcons and Colts, 7th all-time
- Eli Manning passed for 57,023 yards in 16 seasons from 2004-2019 all with New York Giants, 8th all-time
- Aaron Rodgers has 59,055 passing yards through 2023, 9th all-time, mostly with Green Bay Packers
- Russell Wilson reached 47,653 passing yards by 2023, 10th all-time, with Seahawks and Broncos
- Dan Marino compiled 61,361 passing yards from 1983-1999 all with Miami Dolphins, 11th all-time
- Matthew Stafford has 55,481 passing yards through 2023, 12th all-time, with Lions and Rams
- Tony Romo threw for 34,183 yards from 2003-2016 with Dallas Cowboys, 13th among active-era QBs
- Joe Flacco passed for 44,642 yards through 2023, notable for Ravens tenure
- Carson Palmer totaled 46,247 passing yards from 2003-2017 with Bengals, Raiders, Cardinals
- Matt Schaub achieved 30,389 passing yards from 2004-2020 across multiple teams
- Donovan McNabb passed for 37,276 yards from 1999-2011 with Eagles, etc.
- Steve Young totaled 33,124 passing yards from 1985-1999
- Warren Moon threw for 49,325 yards from 1985-2000 across CFL/NFL
- Vinny Testaverde passed for 46,233 yards over 21 seasons 1987-2007
- Frank Tarkenton amassed 47,003 passing yards from 1961-1978
- John Elway threw for 51,475 yards from 1983-1998 with Broncos
- Dave Krieg passed for 38,147 yards 1980-1998 multiple teams
- Boomer Esiason totaled 37,920 yards 1984-1997
- Jim Everett passed for 28,648 yards 1986-1997
- Ken Anderson threw for 32,838 yards 1971-1986 with Bengals
- Rich Gannon passed for 28,743 yards 1987-2004
- Kurt Warner totaled 32,344 yards 1998-2009
- Chad Pennington passed for 17,823 yards 2000-2011
- Alex Smith threw for 35,650 yards through 2020 retirement
Career Passing Statistics Interpretation
Tom Brady's passing yardage record is a staggering monument to sustained excellence, essentially being the equivalent of throwing a football from Boston to Tampa Bay and then, for good measure, having enough arm left to launch a few more spirals around the entire state of Florida.
Playoff and Super Bowl Stats
- Tom Brady career playoff passing yards leader with 13,400 yards in 48 games
- Joe Montana 5,772 playoff passing yards, 4 Super Bowls
- Peyton Manning 7,339 playoff yards, 2 Super Bowl wins
- Ben Roethlisberger 5,972 playoff yards, 3 Super Bowls
- Aaron Rodgers 5,992 playoff yards through 2023
- John Elway 4,964 playoff yards, 2 Super Bowl wins late career
- Eli Manning 4,571 playoff yards, 2 Super Bowl MVPs
- Brett Favre 3,471 playoff yards
- Drew Brees 5,366 playoff yards, Super Bowl 44 win
- Dan Marino 1,631 playoff yards in limited 10 games
- Steve Young 3,633 playoff yards, Super Bowl 29 MVP
- Kurt Warner 3,439 playoff yards, Super Bowl 34 MVP
- Patrick Mahomes 4,683 playoff yards through 2023, 3 Super Bowl wins
- Russell Wilson 4,044 playoff yards, Super Bowl 48 win
- Matt Ryan 4,944 regular but playoff 3,105 yards, Super Bowl 51 choke
- Philip Rivers 1,957 playoff yards in 6 games
- Donovan McNabb 3,119 playoff yards, 5 NFC Championships
- Rich Gannon 2,117 playoff yards, Super Bowl 37 loss
- Matthew Stafford 1,782 playoff yards pre-2021, Super Bowl 56 win
- Warren Moon 1,105 NFL playoff yards
- Tom Brady most Super Bowl passing yards with 3,039 in 10 appearances
- Joe Flacco 1,272 playoff yards in Super Bowl run 2012
- Lamar Jackson 1,324 playoff yards through 2023
- Josh Allen 2,007 playoff yards through 2023 AFC contender
Playoff and Super Bowl Stats Interpretation
The record shows that while many quarterbacks have carved their names into postseason lore with a few brilliant runs, Tom Brady spent two decades using the playoffs as his personal stat-padding workshop, amassing a mountain of yardage so absurd it looks like a misprint next to the legends he surpassed.
Rushing Statistics
- Michael Vick career QB rushing yards leader with 6,109 yards from 2001-2017
- Russell Wilson 2nd among QBs with 5,076 rushing yards through 2023
- Lamar Jackson 3rd with 4,301 rushing yards through 2023 MVP
- Josh Allen 4th with 3,849 rushing yards through 2023
- Cam Newton 5th with 5,398 rushing yards 2011-2021
- Robert Griffin III 2,642 rushing yards 2012-2020
- Jalen Hurts 2,374 rushing yards through 2023 rookie leader
- Kyler Murray 2,509 rushing yards through 2023
- Justin Fields 2,105 rushing yards through 2023
- Daniel Jones 1,984 rushing yards through 2023
- Dak Prescott 1,747 rushing yards through 2023
- Patrick Mahomes 3,119 rushing yards through 2023
- Steve Young 4,239 rushing yards career QB record pre-Vick
- John Elway 3,407 rushing yards 1983-1998
- Randall Cunningham 4,928 rushing yards 1985-2001
- Donovan McNabb 3,459 rushing yards 1999-2011
- Fran Tarkenton 3,098 rushing yards 1961-1978
- Aaron Rodgers 3,837 rushing yards through 2023
- Tom Brady 1,510 rushing yards career
- Peyton Manning 815 rushing yards, low for pocket passer
- Drew Brees 889 rushing yards career
- Ben Roethlisberger 2,213 rushing yards 2004-2021
- Michael Vick single-season QB rushing record 1,079 yards in 2006
- Lamar Jackson single-season 1,206 rushing yards 2020 record overall
- Justin Fields single-season QB rush record 1,143 yards 2022
- Aaron Rodgers career QB rushing TDs leader with 40 through 2023
- Cam Newton 75 QB rushing TDs career record
- Lamar Jackson 29 rushing TDs through 2023
Rushing Statistics Interpretation
While Michael Vick blazed the trail as the quarterback rushing yardage king, his crown is now under siege by a new generation of dual-threat dynamos who treat designed runs as a core offensive philosophy, not just a thrilling escape plan.
Single-Season Passing Records
- Tom Brady leads NFL in career passing touchdowns with 649 TDs from 2000-2022
- Drew Brees 2nd all-time with 571 passing TDs 2001-2020
- Peyton Manning 3rd with 539 passing TDs 1998-2015
- Brett Favre 4th with 508 passing TDs 1991-2010
- Ben Roethlisberger 5th with 418 passing TDs 2004-2021
- Aaron Rodgers 6th with 475 through 2023
- Philip Rivers 7th with 421 TDs 2004-2020
- Russell Wilson 8th with 334 through 2023
- Matthew Stafford 9th with 359 through 2023
- Eli Manning 10th with 366 TDs 2004-2019
- Matt Ryan 11th with 381 TDs 2008-2022
- Dan Marino 12th with 420 TDs 1983-1999
- Warren Moon 13th with 342 TDs NFL only
- Vinny Testaverde 14th with 275 TDs
- Steve Young 15th with 232 TDs
- John Elway 16th with 300 TDs
- Frank Tarkenton 17th with 342 TDs
- Joe Montana 18th with 273 TDs
- Kurt Warner 19th with 208 TDs
- Rich Gannon 20th with 180 TDs
- Donovan McNabb 21st with 199 TDs
- Ken Anderson 22nd with 197 TDs
- Boomer Esiason 23rd with 198 TDs
- Philip Rivers holds the single-season passing yards record with 4,710 yards in 2010 for San Diego Chargers
- Drew Brees set single-season record with 5,476 passing yards in 2011 for New Orleans Saints
- Peyton Manning threw for 5,477 yards in 2013, NFL record until broken, for Denver Broncos
- Tom Brady had 5,234 passing yards in 2020 with Buccaneers
- Matt Ryan led with 4,944 yards in 2016 MVP season for Falcons
- Ben Roethlisberger 4,952 yards in 2014 for Steelers
- Aaron Rodgers 4,784 yards in 2020
- Russell Wilson 4,571 yards in 2015
- Dan Marino 5,084 yards in 1984 record-setting season
- Kurt Warner 4,583 yards in 2000 MVP year
- Rich Gannon 4,689 yards in 2002 MVP season
- Eli Manning 4,933 yards in 2011 Super Bowl run
- Matthew Stafford 4,802 yards in 2011
- Patrick Mahomes 5,250 yards in 2022
- Lamar Jackson 4,301 yards in 2023 MVP-caliber
- Josh Allen 4,306 yards in 2020
- Deshaun Watson 4,823 yards in 2020
- Kirk Cousins 4,804 yards in 2018
- Carson Wentz 4,039 yards in 2017
- Jameis Winston 5,109 yards in 2016 record for INTs too
- Drew Brees 5,208 yards in 2016 tying high
Single-Season Passing Records Interpretation
While Tom Brady’s career touchdown total remains a towering monument of sustained excellence, the ever-rising single-season yardage records prove that in today’s NFL, the pass is not just king—it's an emperor with an unlimited data plan.