1
Tom Brady
Brady holds the NFL regular-season career passing yards record by a wide margin, finishing nearly 9,000 yards clear of second place across 23 seasons.
yearsActive: 2000-2022seasons: 23status: Retired
Top 10 NFL Quarterbacks by Career Passing Yards
The 10 quarterbacks who have thrown for the most regular-season yards in NFL history, led by Tom Brady's record haul of more than 89,000.
Quick answer: 1. Tom Brady, 2. Drew Brees, 3. Peyton Manning, 4. Brett Favre, 5. Aaron Rodgers, 6. Matthew Stafford, 7. Ben Roethlisberger, 8. Philip Rivers, 9. Matt Ryan, 10. Dan Marino.
Passing yards are the currency of the modern NFL, and no single number better captures a quarterback's longevity and production than the career total he leaves behind. This list ranks the 10 leaders in regular-season passing yards through the 2024 season — a leaderboard dominated by long-career pocket passers of the 2000s. Tom Brady sits alone at the top by nearly 9,000 yards, but the rest of the top 10 is remarkably tight: two separate pairs are separated by fewer than 200 yards each. Two active quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford, are still adding to their totals and climbing.
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Career passing yards
Tom Brady
Drew Brees
Peyton Manning
Brett Favre
Aaron Rodgers
Matthew Stafford
Ben Roethlisberger
Philip Rivers
Matt Ryan
Dan Marino
The ranking
2
Drew Brees
Brees ranks second all-time and is the only other quarterback to surpass 80,000 career passing yards.
yearsActive: 2001-2020seasons: 20status: Retired
3
Peyton Manning
Manning is third all-time, edging out Brett Favre by just 102 yards despite playing two fewer seasons.
yearsActive: 1998-2015seasons: 18status: Retired
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4
Brett Favre
Favre held the all-time record until Peyton Manning passed him in 2015; he now ranks fourth by a margin of just over 100 yards.
yearsActive: 1991-2010seasons: 20status: Retired
5
Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers is the highest-ranked active player on the list; his total is current through the 2024 season and continues to grow.
yearsActive: 2005-presentseasons: 20status: Active
6
Matthew Stafford
Stafford passed Ben Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers on the all-time list in 2024; his total is current through the 2024 season and continues to grow.
yearsActive: 2009-presentseasons: 16status: Active
7
Ben Roethlisberger
Roethlisberger spent his entire career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and ranks seventh all-time.
yearsActive: 2004-2021seasons: 18status: Retired
8
Philip Rivers
Rivers ranks eighth all-time, less than 200 yards behind Roethlisberger, alongside whom he was drafted in 2004.
yearsActive: 2004-2020seasons: 17status: Retired
9
Matt Ryan
The 2016 NFL MVP ranks ninth all-time, accumulating most of his yardage with the Atlanta Falcons.
yearsActive: 2008-2022seasons: 15status: Retired
10
Dan Marino
Marino held the all-time record for over a decade after retiring and is the only pre-2000-era quarterback remaining in the top 10.
yearsActive: 1983-1999seasons: 17status: Retired
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Full comparison
| # | Name | yearsActive | seasons | status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tom Brady | 2000-2022 | 23 | Retired |
| 2 | Drew Brees | 2001-2020 | 20 | Retired |
| 3 | Peyton Manning | 1998-2015 | 18 | Retired |
| 4 | Brett Favre | 1991-2010 | 20 | Retired |
| 5 | Aaron Rodgers | 2005-present | 20 | Active |
| 6 | Matthew Stafford | 2009-present | 16 | Active |
| 7 | Ben Roethlisberger | 2004-2021 | 18 | Retired |
| 8 | Philip Rivers | 2004-2020 | 17 | Retired |
| 9 | Matt Ryan | 2008-2022 | 15 | Retired |
| 10 | Dan Marino | 1983-1999 | 17 | Retired |
How we ranked this
Quarterbacks are ranked by total career regular-season passing yards in the NFL, through the end of the 2024 regular season, highest to lowest (rank 1 = most yards). Playoff yardage is excluded, consistent with how the NFL's official career records are kept. Figures come from Pro-Football-Reference.com, the primary record-keeper for NFL statistics, and are cross-checked against Wikipedia's leaders list (sourced to PFR), ESPN, and StatMuse. Totals for active players (marked "Active") are current through 2024 and continue to grow.
FAQ
Who has the most passing yards in NFL history?
Tom Brady holds the record with 89,214 regular-season passing yards across 23 seasons, roughly 9,000 yards ahead of second-place Drew Brees.
How many quarterbacks have thrown for over 80,000 yards?
Only two: Tom Brady (89,214) and Drew Brees (80,358). No other quarterback has surpassed 80,000 career regular-season passing yards through the 2024 season.
Which active quarterbacks are in the top 10 for career passing yards?
Two active quarterbacks make the list through 2024: Aaron Rodgers (66,274 yards, 5th) and Matthew Stafford (64,516 yards, 6th). Both totals continue to grow.
Do these totals include playoff passing yards?
No. These figures count regular-season passing yards only, consistent with how the NFL keeps its official career records. Playoff yardage is tracked separately.