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Year-by-Year Passing Yards Leaders
For some seasons (1960-1969 & 1947-1950) leaders for both leagues are shown.
| Year | Player (age), + - HOFer, Bold - Active | Yds | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Drew Brees (29) | 3,870 | NOR |
| 2007 | Tom Brady (30) | 4,806 | NWE |
| 2006 | Drew Brees (27) | 4,418 | NOR |
| 2005 | Tom Brady (28) | 4,110 | NWE |
| 2004 | Daunte Culpepper (27) | 4,717 | MIN |
| 2003 | Peyton Manning (27) | 4,267 | IND |
| 2002 | Rich Gannon (37) | 4,689 | OAK |
| 2001 | Kurt Warner (30) | 4,830 | STL |
| 2000 | Peyton Manning (24) | 4,413 | IND |
| 1999 | Steve Beuerlein (34) | 4,436 | CAR |
| 1998 | Brett Favre (29) | 4,212 | GNB |
| 1997 | Jeff George (30) | 3,917 | OAK |
| 1996 | Mark Brunell (26) | 4,367 | JAX |
| 1995 | Brett Favre (26) | 4,413 | GNB |
| 1994 | Drew Bledsoe (22) | 4,555 | NWE |
| 1993 | John Elway+ (33) | 4,030 | DEN |
| 1992 | Dan Marino+ (31) | 4,116 | MIA |
| 1991 | Warren Moon+ (35) | 4,690 | HOU |
| 1990 | Warren Moon+ (34) | 4,689 | HOU |
| 1989 | Don Majkowski (25) | 4,318 | GNB |
| 1988 | Dan Marino+ (27) | 4,434 | MIA |
| 1987 | Neil Lomax (28) | 3,387 | STL |
| 1986 | Dan Marino+ (25) | 4,746 | MIA |
| 1985 | Dan Marino+ (24) | 4,137 | MIA |
| 1984 | Dan Marino+ (23) | 5,084 | MIA |
| 1983 | Lynn Dickey (34) | 4,458 | GNB |
| 1982 | Dan Fouts+ (31) | 2,883 | SDG |
| 1981 | Dan Fouts+ (30) | 4,802 | SDG |
| 1980 | Dan Fouts+ (29) | 4,715 | SDG |
| 1979 | Dan Fouts+ (28) | 4,082 | SDG |
| 1978 | Fran Tarkenton+ (38) | 3,468 | MIN |
| 1977 | Joe Ferguson (27) | 2,803 | BUF |
| 1976 | Bert Jones (25) | 3,104 | BAL |
| 1975 | Ken Anderson (26) | 3,169 | CIN |
| 1974 | Ken Anderson (25) | 2,667 | CIN |
| 1973 | Roman Gabriel (33) | 3,219 | PHI |
| 1972 | Joe Namath+ (29) | 2,816 | NYJ |
| 1971 | John Hadl (31) | 3,075 | SDG |
| 1970 | John Brodie (35) | 2,941 | SFO |
| 1969 | Daryle Lamonica (28) | 3,302 | OAK |
| Sonny Jurgensen+ (35) | 3,102 | WAS | |
| 1968 | John Hadl (28) | 3,473 | SDG |
| John Brodie (33) | 3,020 | SFO | |
| 1967 | Joe Namath+ (24) | 4,007 | NYJ |
| Sonny Jurgensen+ (33) | 3,747 | WAS | |
| 1966 | Joe Namath+ (23) | 3,379 | NYJ |
| Sonny Jurgensen+ (32) | 3,209 | WAS | |
| 1965 | John Brodie (30) | 3,112 | SFO |
| John Hadl (25) | 2,798 | SDG | |
| 1964 | Babe Parilli (34) | 3,465 | BOS |
| Charley Johnson (26) | 3,045 | STL | |
| 1963 | Johnny Unitas+ (30) | 3,481 | BAL |
| George Blanda+ (36) | 3,003 | HOU | |
| 1962 | Sonny Jurgensen+ (28) | 3,261 | PHI |
| Frank Tripucka (35) | 2,917 | DEN | |
| 1961 | Sonny Jurgensen+ (27) | 3,723 | PHI |
| George Blanda+ (34) | 3,330 | HOU | |
| 1960 | Johnny Unitas+ (27) | 3,099 | BAL |
| Frank Tripucka (33) | 3,038 | DEN | |
| 1959 | Johnny Unitas+ (26) | 2,899 | BAL |
| 1958 | Billy Wade (28) | 2,875 | RAM |
| 1957 | Johnny Unitas+ (24) | 2,550 | BAL |
| 1956 | Tobin Rote (28) | 2,203 | GNB |
| 1955 | Jim Finks+ (28) | 2,270 | PIT |
| 1954 | Norm Van Brocklin+ (28) | 2,637 | RAM |
| 1953 | Otto Graham+ (32) | 2,722 | CLE |
| 1952 | Otto Graham+ (31) | 2,816 | CLE |
| 1951 | Bobby Layne+ (25) | 2,403 | DET |
| 1950 | Bobby Layne+ (24) | 2,323 | DET |
| 1949 | Otto Graham+ (28) | 2,785 | CLE |
| Johnny Lujack (24) | 2,658 | CHI | |
| 1948 | Otto Graham+ (27) | 2,713 | CLE |
| Sammy Baugh+ (34) | 2,599 | WAS | |
| 1947 | Sammy Baugh+ (33) | 2,938 | WAS |
| Otto Graham+ (26) | 2,753 | CLE | |
| 1946 | Glenn Dobbs (26) | 1,886 | BDA |
| Sid Luckman+ (30) | 1,826 | CHI | |
| 1945 | Sid Luckman+ (29) | 1,727 | CHI |
| 1944 | Irv Comp (25) | 1,159 | GNB |
| 1943 | Sid Luckman+ (27) | 2,194 | CHI |
| 1942 | Cecil Isbell (27) | 2,021 | GNB |
| 1941 | Cecil Isbell (26) | 1,479 | GNB |
| 1940 | Sammy Baugh+ (26) | 1,367 | WAS |
| 1939 | Davey O'Brien (22) | 1,324 | PHI |
| 1938 | Ace Parker+ (26) | 865 | BKN |
| 1937 | Sammy Baugh+ (23) | 1,127 | WAS |
| 1936 | Arnie Herber+ (26) | 1,239 | GNB |
| 1935 | Ed Danowski (24) | 794 | NYG |
| 1934 | Arnie Herber+ (24) | 799 | GNB |
| 1933 | Harry Newman (24) | 973 | NYG |
| 1932 | Arnie Herber+ (22) | 639 | GNB |