NFL: Drew Brees Is the NFL's All-Time Passing Yardage Leader

Currently, quarterback Drew Brees is the all-time leader in passing yards, totaling 80,358 from 2001-2020 with the then-San Diego Chargers and the New Orleans Saints. However, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is not that far behind, and could make a move to pass Brees in the coming seasons—Brady has thrown for 79,204 yards. In an era where throwing the ball downfield is more prevalent than it has ever been, many quarterbacks have been able to take advantage of relaxed rules regarding contact to wide receivers and hits on the players under center.

This is good! https://t.co/CaHTmgOixn

— Drew Brees (@drewbrees) January 12, 2021

How did Brees throw for so many yards?

It’s been an interesting career for Brees, who by all accounts may have played his final snap in the NFL a few weeks ago in the Saints' Divisional Round playoff loss to Tampa Bay. There have been multiple reports that the future Hall of Famer will not return to play next season, and will perhaps take a job with NBC Sports as a studio analyst. Brees turned 42 years old on January 15th but has not made any official declarations himself about what his plans for the future hold.

Although the Chargers made out pretty well with Philip Rivers for many years, they could have decided to keep the league’s all-time leading passer in Southern California for his entire career. Brees was selected by the Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft and barely played his rookie year. In his next two years with the team, his numbers did not jump off the page, and there wasn’t much to suggest that he was headed for a special career. In games he started, the Chargers went 10-17, and Brees threw for more interceptions than he did touchdowns.

But in 2004, the former Purdue star broke out in a big way, and never looked back. He threw for 27 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, and finally looked like the franchise player San Diego hoped he would become. He also had a solid year in 2005, but a scary shoulder injury suffered against the Denver Broncos put his promising future into serious doubt, not just with the Chargers, but in the NFL in general. He wasn’t going to be returning to the team with the promising Rivers waiting in the wings, so his NFL future would have to resume in a different city.

As rumor has it, the Miami Dolphins were very interested in upgrading the quarterback position in the offseason before the 2006 season and took a very hard look at Brees to be their leading man. The team was reportedly deciding between veteran Daunte Culpepper and Brees and decided to sign Culpepper because they were worried about Brees’ shoulder. That opened the door for the New Orleans Saints and young head coach Sean Payton, along with team management to swoop and sign the man who would be their leader for at least the next 15 seasons.

It didn’t take long for Brees to feel comfortable in his new home, as Brees immediately set a career-high in passing yards in his first year with the Saints, and never looked back. In 2008, he became the first quarterback since Dan Marino in 1984 to throw for 5,000 yards in a season and would accomplish that feat four more times in his illustrious career. He also led the Saints to their first Super Bowl title in their franchise history in the 2009-2010 season.

Brees’ best year from a passing yardage standpoint came in 2011 when he passed for 5,476 yards and a career-best 46 touchdowns. If this is the end of the line for the veteran quarterback, fans will still get their fill of him on television and during reunion events in New Orleans as one of the franchise’s best players.

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