The quarterbacks who lead all 32 teams in passing yardage range from the obvious to the stunning.
Arizona Cardinals: Jim Hart
Jim Hart played 18 seasons with the Cardinals, albeit all in St. Louis. He threw for 34,665 yards and 209 TDs against 247 picks. His lone year to lead in a category was 1974 when he threw 388 passes.
Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan continues to build on his numbers as the leader of the Falcons’ quarterbacks. The former first-round pick from BC has thrown for 51,186 yards and 321 touchdowns.
Baltimore Ravens: Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco won a Super Bowl with the Ravens and threw for 38,245 yards with 218 touchdown passes. He spent 11 years with Baltimore after being chosen out of Delaware.
Buffalo Bills: Jim Kelly
Jim Kelly is no surprise as the leader of Buffalo quarterbacks. The Hall of Famer played 11 seasons with the Bills after coming over from the USFL. He threw for 35,467 yards and 237 TDs. In 1993, Kelly led the league by completing 63.3% of his passes.
Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton
Cam Newton hasn’t delivered a Super Bowl ring to the Panthers, but he has put up huge numbers. In nine seasons, the Heisman winner from Auburn has thrown for 29,041 yards and 182 TDs. Oh, and he also has rushed for 4,806 yards.
Chicago Bears: Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler came to the Bears from the Broncos. He played eight seasons with Chicago and threw for 23,443 yards. Seems hard to believe that number would stand up as the most by a QB in the long history of the Bears. It speaks more to the issues the team has had with quarterbacks.
Cincinnati Bengals: Ken Anderson
Ken Anderson was a Bengal for his entire career, which spanned 1971-86. He threw for 32,838 yards and 197 TDs. Anderson led the league in yards thrown in 1974 and ’75.
Cleveland Browns: Brian Sipe
The Browns’ issues at quarterback since their reincarnation are legendary. Hence, it is no surprise that a QB from their first run in Cleveland leads in yardage. Brian Sipe played all 10 of his seasons as a Brown and threw for 23,713 yards. In 1979, he led the league with 28 TD passes and 26 interceptions.
Dallas Cowboys: Tony Romo
Tony Romo never delivered a Super Bowl in Dallas. However, the quarterback does stand atop the yardage list for Cowboys QBs. He threw for 34,183 yards and 248 TDs. Romo began his Cowboy career in 2004 but didn’t put up any stats until ’06.
Denver Broncos: John Elway
John Elway is a Hall of Famer and two-time Super Bowl champ. The Broncos’ legend threw for 51,475 yards in a career that started in 1983 and ended in ’98. His 4,030 passing yards led the league in 1998.
Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford
Matthew Stafford was a No. 1 overall pick out of Georgia by Detroit. He has put up massive numbers while going 69-79-1 as a starter. Stafford will enter 2020 with 41,025 yards. In 2012, he led the league in both completions (435) and attempts (727).
Green Bay Packers: Brett Favre
The Packers have a great QB history. Brett Favre rules the roost in yardage. He threw for 61,655 yards and 442 touchdowns as a Packer. Favre led the league in total passing yardage in 1995 and ’98.
Houston Texans: Matt Schaub
Matt Schaub continues to plug on as a backup in Atlanta. His seven years in Houston leave him as yardage leader with 23,221.
Indianapolis Colts: Peyton Manning
The great Peyton Manning tops all Colts quarterbacks with 54,828 yards over 13 seasons. He also threw 399 TD passes as a colt.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Mark Brunell
Lefty Mark Brunell remains tops in Jacksonville. He played nine years as a Jaguar and finished up there with 25,698 yards.
Kansas City Chiefs: Len Dawson
A Kansas City legend to this day, Len Dawson is the Chiefs’ leader in passing yardage. He threw for 28,507 yards between the Dallas Texans and Kansas City.
Las Vegas Raiders: Derek Carr
The Raiders have put up their share of offense in franchise history. It is somewhat surprising Derek Carr has thrown for more yardage than any QB with the franchise. Carr has thrown for 22,793 yards in the Silver and Black.
Los Angeles Chargers: Philip Rivers
The Chargers have seen John Hadl, Dan Fouts come through as Bolts. The leader, though, in yardage is Philip Rivers, who is leaving the team after a long run that began in 2004. Rivers has thrown for 59,271 yards and 397 touchdowns.
Los Angeles Rams: Jim Everett
Jim Everett holds the top spot for the Rams with 23,758 yards in eight seasons.
Miami Dolphins: Dan Marino
Dan Marino, to no one’s surprise, has the most yards passing by a Miami quarterback. Marino threw for 61,361 yards in a career that went from 1983-99, all as a Dolphin.
Minnesota Vikings: Fran Tarkenton
Scrambling Fran Tarkenton had two runs with the Purple People. The quarterback who played played 13 seasons as a Viking threw for 33,098 yards overall with Minnesota.
New England Patriots: Tom Brady
The big question is will Tom Brady build on the 74,571 yards he has thrown with the Patriots when the team heads into 2020?
New Orleans Saints: Drew Brees
Drew Brees came to New Orleans from San Diego and has been remarkable. The former Purdue star has thrown for 65,068 yards and 467 touchdowns as a quarterback for the Saints.
New York Giants: Eli Manning
Eli Manning spent his entire career with the New York Giants. The former No. 1 overall pick — by the Chargers, of course — threw for 57,023 yards and 366 touchdowns with Big Blue.
New York Jets: Joe Namath
Joe Namath is a legend. It also speaks to the troubles the Jets have had trying to fill his void for decades that the former Alabama star still is the team’s top QB by yardage. Namath threw for 27,057 yards in 12 seasons with Gang Green.
Philadelphia Eagles: Donovan McNabb
Donovan McNabb played 11 seasons with the Eagles and threw for 32,873 yards and 216 touchdowns.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger hopes to have a healthy return in 2020 so he can build upon the 56,545 yards and 363 yards he has thrown for as a Steeler.
San Francisco 49ers: Joe Montana
Joe Montana is a legend. The great former Notre Dame quarterback threw for 35,124 yards in 13 seasons as a 49er.
Seattle Seahawks: Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson continues to amaze with Seattle. He has thrown for 29,734 yards in eight seasons as a Seahawk.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston
Jameis Winston has thrown for 19,737 yards and been a source of controversy over five seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Tennessee Titans: Warren Moon
Imagine the numbers Warren Moon would have put up in the NFL if he had not spent years in Canada before becoming a Houston Oiler. As is, the former Washington star threw for 33,685 yards in 10 seasons with Houston.
Washington Redskins: Joe Theismann
This has to be considered surprising/shocking. Of all the QBs in Washington history, Joe Theismann tops the list when it comes to passing yardage. The first three names on the list are Theismann (25,206 in 12 years) followed by Sonny Jurgensen and Sammy Baugh.
