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List of NFL quarterbacks with 5,000 passing yards in a season

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Passing for 5,000 yards in a single regular season is a rare achievement in the National Football League (NFL). Nine quarterbacks have accomplished the feat. Dan Marino was the first to cross the threshold with 5,084 yards set during the 1984 season, which went unchallenged for a record 24 years, and for almost a decade after his 1999 retirement. Peyton Manning holds the record with 5,477 passing yards in 2013; this surpassed Drew Brees, who recorded a then-record 5,476 passing yards in 2011, by one yard. Drew Brees, Tom Brady, and Patrick Mahomes are the only NFL quarterbacks to have multiple 5,000 yards seasons; Brees accomplished the feat a record five times, while Brady and Mahomes have accomplished it twice. Matthew Stafford is the only 5,000-yard passer with a 500-yard game in the same season. All quarterbacks have needed at least 600 passing attempts to achieve the yardage, with the exception of Marino (564) and Mahomes (580, 2018 season). Only Marino (362), Winston (380), and Mahomes (383, 2018 season) have done so with fewer than 400 pass completions.

In 2011, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Matthew Stafford each threw for over 5,000 yards. Patrick Mahomes and Ben Roethlisberger both accomplished it in 2018, making Mahomes the only quarterback to reach that plateau in both the NCAA and NFL. NFL quarterbacks have passed for 5,000 yards in a season fifteen times. Despite the rarity of a 5,000-yard passing season, only four have resulted in MVP Honors. Patrick Mahomes earned it twice in 2018 and 2022, while Dan Marino and Peyton Manning have earned it once in 1984 and 2013 respectively. Stafford, Roethlisberger, and Jameis Winston are the only quarterbacks to not be selected to the Pro Bowl the same year of their 5,000-yard season. Patrick Mahomes has accomplished this feat most recently, throwing for 5,250 yards in the 2022 season. In the postseason, he became the first 5,000-yard passer to win the Super Bowl. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the only franchise to have multiple quarterbacks (Winston and Brady) accomplish 5,000 passing yards.

All have done it while playing the full season. In 2021, the NFL approved a 17-game schedule, increasing the likelihood of a 5,000 yard passer.

NFL players with 5,000 passing yards in a season

QuarterbackTeamYardsSeasonGames playedNotes
Dan Marino^Miami Dolphins5,084*[1984](1984-nfl-season)16NFL MVP, first player to pass for over 5,000 yards in a season
Drew BreesNew Orleans Saints5,069[2008](2008-nfl-season)16Offensive Player of the Year
Drew Brees (2)New Orleans Saints5,476*[2011](2011-nfl-season)16Offensive Player of the Year, first quarterback with multiple 5,000-yard seasons
Tom BradyNew England Patriots5,23516
Matthew StaffordDetroit Lions5,03816Comeback Player of the Year
Drew Brees (3)New Orleans Saints5,177[2012](2012-nfl-season)16Second consecutive season passing for over 5,000 yards
Peyton Manning^Denver Broncos5,477*[2013](2013-nfl-season)16NFL MVP
Drew Brees (4)New Orleans Saints5,16216Third consecutive season passing for over 5,000 yards
Drew Brees (5)New Orleans Saints5,208[2016](2016-nfl-season)16
Ben RoethlisbergerPittsburgh Steelers5,129[2018](2018-nfl-season)16
Patrick Mahomes^Kansas City Chiefs5,09716NFL MVP
Jameis WinstonTampa Bay Buccaneers5,109[2019](2019-nfl-season)16Led NFL in interceptions (30)
Tom Brady (2)Tampa Bay Buccaneers5,316[2021](2021-nfl-season)17
Justin HerbertLos Angeles Chargers5,01417
Patrick Mahomes^ (2)Kansas City Chiefs5,250[2022](2022-nfl-season)17NFL MVP

*League Record ^Named MVP

4,000 passing yards in a season

4,000 yards passing in a season was once considered a rare feat but has lost a bit of significance over the years. During the fourteen-game era, only Joe Namath of the New York Jets passed for over 4,000 yards in a season with 4,007 yards passing in the 1967 AFL season. During the 1980s and 1990s, 4,000 yards became the standard for the league leaders in the NFL. Over the last decade, 4,000 yards has become almost commonplace in the NFL for quarterbacks. This may be a result of less emphasis being placed on the running game and rule changes that serve to offer greater protection to quarterbacks and their receivers. Every team except the Chicago Bears has had a 4,000 yard quarterback season, with the Bears and Jets being the only ones to never have had one with a 16 or 17 game schedule. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have had the most 4,000 yard seasons (14).

References

References

  1. (December 26, 2011). "Brees breaks passing record".
  2. (June 2024)
  3. "Drew Brees".
  4. "Tom Brady".
  5. "Matthew Stafford".
  6. "Peyton Manning".
  7. "Ben Roethlisberger".
  8. "Jameis Winston".
  9. "Justin Herbert".
  10. "2016 Passing Stats".
  11. (March 30, 1977). "NFL expands season, increases playoff berths in 1978 changes". Toledo Blade.
  12. (March 29, 2021). "Bears failed to produce a 4,000-yard passer in 16-game era".
  13. [http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.aspx?release_id=1330 "History Release: 4,000 yard passers"], [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]], December 31, 2012 (accessed January 24, 2013).
Info: Wikipedia Source

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