List of gridiron football quarterbacks passing statistics

{{Short description|none}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

File:Damon Allen banner.jpg to commemorate Damon Allen's record-breaking pass in 2006.]]

File:2024, 19, Bo Levi Mitchell (H).jpg is the newest player added.]]

This is a list of gridiron football quarterbacks passing statistics for quarterbacks that have played outdoor professional football in North America. Below is a listing of the combined professional football league leaders for passing yards, passing touchdowns, passing completions, and passing attempts.{{cite news | work=USA Today | url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2011/10/who-is-pro-footballs-all-time-passing-leader-try-anthony-calvillo/1| title=Who is pro football's all-time passing leader? Try Anthony Calvillo| accessdate= October 11, 2011| date=October 11, 2011}}{{cite web | work=Rutgers.edu | url=http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~maxymuk/home/passing/qbcflnfl.html| title=Quarterbacks Who Played in the NFL and CFL| accessdate= September 2, 2009}}{{cite web | work=ProFootballReference.com | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_att_career.htm| title=PFR Stats Attempts| accessdate= June 28, 2017}}{{cite web | work=ProFootballReference.com | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_cmp_career.htm| title=PFR Stats Completions| accessdate= June 28, 2017}}{{cite web | work=ProFootballReference.com | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_cmp_perc_career.htm| title=PFR Stats Comp %| accessdate= June 28, 2017}}{{cite web | work=ProFootballReference.com | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_td_career.htm| title=PFR Stats Touchdowns| accessdate= June 28, 2017}}{{cite web | work=ProFootballReference.com | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_int_career.htm| title=PFR Stats Interceptions| accessdate= June 28, 2017}}{{cite web | work=ProFootballReference.com | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_yds_career.htm| title=PFR Stats Yardage| accessdate= June 28, 2017}}{{cite web | work=ProFootballReference.com | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_rating_career.htm| title=PFR Stats Rating| accessdate= June 28, 2017}}

Because indoor football is played on a much shorter field and heavily favors offensive scoring, its records are not included in the main list, but are noted in a separate addendum below; likewise, as is standard for statistical record-keeping, exhibition games, all-star games (such as the Pro Bowl) and preseason contests are not counted.

During the {{NFL year|2021}} NFL season, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady passed Drew Brees to become the all-time passing yards leader in professional football league history.[https://thecanadian.news/2020/12/21/drew-brees-breaks-anthony-calvillo-record/ Drew Brees breaks Anthony Calvillo record] Brees had surpassed Anthony Calvillo for the record in the previous season, while Calvillo had surpassed Damon Allen for the record in the {{CFL Year|2011}} CFL season.[http://sports.nationalpost.com/2011/10/10/calvillo-breaks-pro-footballs-passing-record/ Alouettes’ Calvillo breaks pro football's passing record] Allen broke the previous record held by Warren Moon in {{CFL Year|2006}}.{{cite news | work=CBC Sports.ca | url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/argos-allen-is-football-s-top-passer-1.602481| title=Argos' Allen is football's top passer | access-date= August 8, 2008 | date=September 4, 2006}} Moon had held the record since {{NFL Year|1992}} when he surpassed the record set by Ron Lancaster, who had surpassed Johnny Unitas during the {{CFL Year|1975}} CFL season. Unitas established the record set forth in this listing, while Aaron Rodgers is the leading active QB chasing Brady.

In the {{NFL year|2020}} NFL season, Brady surpassed Brees for the all-time passing touchdowns record; Brees had surpassed Peyton Manning for the record the season before.[https://www.denverpost.com/2019/12/16/drew-brees-breaks-peyton-mannings-record/ Saints’ Drew Brees breaks Peyton Manning’s career touchdown pass record] Manning had held the record since the {{NFL year|2014}} NFL season when he surpassed Brett Favre's record.[https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/11731334/peyton-manning-denver-broncos-breaks-brett-favre-all-touchdown-pass-record Peyton Manning breaks TD record] Prior to that, Brett Favre held the record since the {{NFL year|2007}} NFL season when he surpassed Warren Moon's record.[https://www.nfldraftdiamonds.com/2014/07/warren-moon-combine-cfl-nfl-stats-rank-second-nfl/ If Warren Moon was to combine his CFL and NFL stats he would rank second in the NFL] Moon had held the record since {{NFL Year|1994}} when he surpassed the record set by Fran Tarkenton. Tarkenton had surpassed Johnny Unitas during the {{NFL Year|1975}} NFL season. Ron Lancaster overtook Tarkenton's lead in the touchdown pass category during the {{CFL Year|1977}} CFL season. However, Tarkenton retook the lead during the {{NFL Year|1978}} NFL season. Unitas established the record set forth in this listing.

Brady has held the record for pass completions since passing Brees during the 2021 NFL season; Brees surpassed Brett Favre during the {{NFL year|2018}} season.[http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24771889/drew-brees-passes-brett-favre-most-career-completions Drew Brees passes Brett Favre for most career completions] Favre had held the previous record since the {{NFL year|2007}} season when he surpassed Warren Moon's record. Moon had held the record since 1992 when he surpassed the record set by Fran Tarkenton. Tarkenton had surpassed Johnny Unitas during the {{NFL Year|1975}} NFL season. Unitas established the record set forth in this listing.

Brady has held the record for pass completions since passing Brees during the 2021 NFL season; Brees surpassed Brett Favre during the {{NFL year|2018}} season.[http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24771889/drew-brees-passes-brett-favre-most-career-completions Drew Brees passes Brett Favre for most career completions] Favre had held the previous record since the {{NFL year|2007}} season when he surpassed Warren Moon's record. Moon had held the record since 1992 when he surpassed the record set by Fran Tarkenton. Tarkenton had surpassed Johnny Unitas during the {{NFL Year|1975}} NFL season. Unitas established the record set forth in this listing.

Brady has held the record for pass attempts since the 2020 NFL season when he surpassed Brees, who had surpassed Favre earlier in the same season. Prior to being surpassed by both Brady and Brees during the 2020 NFL season, Favre had held the record since {{NFL year|2008}}, when he surpassed Warren Moon.[https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=434437 CALVILLO WILL NOT RETURN TO ALOUETTES THIS SEASON] Moon had held the record since {{NFL Year|1993}} when he surpassed the record set by Fran Tarkenton. Tarkenton had surpassed Johnny Unitas during the 1975 NFL season. Unitas established the record set forth in this listing.

Brady, Moon and Unitas are the only gridiron quarterbacks to have held the record in all four of the major passing categories (passing yards, passing touchdowns, pass completions, and pass attempts) at the same time. Brees held each of the four records at one point during his career, but never held all four of them at the same time.

Other categories from this listing that provides all-time leaders include Rodgers, who is pro football's all-time passer rating leader, Ricky Ray, who is the all-time pass completion percentage leader, and Ron Lancaster, who is pro football's all-time interceptions leader.

When considering regular season and post season combined, Brady is the all-time leader in gridiron passing yards with 102,614, which surpassed Calvillo's mark of 82,365 yards in 2019. Brady is also the leader in all the other three major categories when considering post season performances (737 touchdown passes; 8,953 pass completions; 13,971 pass attempts).[https://www.cfl.ca/2010/11/18/by-the-numbers-playoff-performers/ By the numbers: playoff performers][http://pfref.com/tiny/Fg0bY Pass Yards Reg+Post]