Last season,Aaron Rodgersbecame the ninth NFL quarterback to throw for 60,000 regular-season passing yards, and in Week 1, theLos Angeles Rams’Matthew Staffordjoined him on the prestigious list.
Stafford came into Week 1 against the Houston Texansneeding 191 yards to hit 60,000, and he threw for 245 yards in the win. He also passed Dan Marino for ninth Sunday against theBaltimore Ravens. He came into the game needing 50 yards to do so and finished with 181.
Stafford entered last season with a chance to join the 60K club but ended up just short at 59,809 yards. He would have had a shot to cross the mark in Week 18, butthe Rams chose to rest himahead of their playoff run. Stafford needed 3,943 yards to eclipse 60,000 in 2024. Despite falling short, he didpass Eli Manning for 10th place on the career passing listin Week 4 last season.
On Thursday, Rodgers passedBen Roethlisberger for fifth against theCincinnati Bengals. He came into the game 115 yards behind Roethlisberger. Rodgers passed Roethlisberger with a 15-yard catch-and-run completion to Jaylen Warren right before halftime.
Rodgers, who made the move from the New York Jets to the Pittsburgh Steelers during the offseason, entered last season ranking ninth all time in passing yards. He needed 945 yards to join the 60K club. He would go on to pass Marinoin Week 11, and in the final game of the season, he moved beyond Matt Ryan for seventh place.
Rodgers needed 115 yards against theMiami Dolphinsto pass Ryan, and Rodgers also threw the 500th touchdown passof his career in the second quarter — joining Tom Brady (649), Drew Brees (571), Peyton Manning (539) and Brett Favre (508) on that list.
Rodgers passed Philip Rivers (63,340 yards) in Week 3 against theNew England Patriotsto move into sixth all time, and he would go on to break a tie with Favre on the touchdown passing list also, throwing two in Week 3, and Stafford moved past Ryan (381) to ninth after also throwing for two scores.
On the passing list, Rodgers entered the season needing 488 yards to catch Rivers and 1,136 yards to surpass Roethlisberger (64,088 yards). Stafford realistically could pass Marino (61,361) and Ryan (62,792), and he has a shot at Rivers (3,631 yards shy entering the season) and Roethlisberger (4,279), as well.
Ryan, in 2022, had been the last quarterback to cross the 60,000-yard threshold before Rodgers and Stafford. But after Stafford, no other active quarterback was close entering the season — with theNew York Giants’Russell Wilson (46,135 yards), theCleveland Browns’Joe Flacco(45,433 yards) and theAtlanta Falcons’Kirk Cousins(42,979 yards) being the only ones that were over the 40,000-yard mark going into Week 1.
Here are the 10 quarterbacks who have passed for over 60,000 yards:
1. Tom Brady: 89,214 yards
Seasons: 23
Teams: New England Patriots (2000-19), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020-22)
No player has won more Super Bowl championships (seven) than Brady, who had a famous response when asked which one was his favorite.