This is a list of the top 50 National Football League quarterbacks career regular season passing completions and attempts, of quarterback playoff completions and attempts by players with over 250 playoff completions, and combined career totals.
Tom Brady is the all-time leader in passing completions with 7,753 and passing attempts with 12,050. He also leads in playoff completions and attempts with 1,200 and 1,921, respectively.
Bolded players indicate making their debut on list.
^ | Pro Football Hall of Fame member. |
* | Active player. |
Through 2023 season.
Through 2023 playoffs. [1] Based on at least 250 completions.
Nine players are recognised as having held the record as the NFL's career pass completions leader. [2] The longest record holder was Fran Tarkenton who held the record for 20 years.
Reign | Player | Team(s) while leader | Career completions | Season |
---|---|---|---|---|
1932–1940 (9 years) | Arnie Herber ^ [3] | Green Bay Packers | 37 | 1932 |
87 | 1933 | |||
129 | 1934 | |||
169 | 1935 | |||
246 | 1936 | |||
293 | 1937 | |||
315 | 1938 | |||
372 | 1939 | |||
410 | 1940 | |||
1941 – 1959 (19 years) | Sammy Baugh ^ [4] | Washington Redskins | 414 | 1941 |
546 | 1942 | |||
670 | 1943 | |||
761 | 1944 | |||
889 | 1945 | |||
976 | 1946 | |||
1,186 | 1947 | |||
1,371 | 1948 | |||
1,516 | 1949 | |||
1,606 | 1950 | |||
1,673 | 1951 | |||
1,693 | 1952–1959 | |||
1960 – 1968 (9 years) | Y. A. Tittle ^ [5] | San Francisco 49ers (1960) New York Giants (1961 – 1964) | 1,696 | 1960 |
1,859 | 1961 | |||
2,059 | 1962 | |||
2,280 | 1963 | |||
2,427 | 1964–1968 | |||
1969 – 1974 (6 years) | Johnny Unitas ^ [6] | Baltimore Colts (1969 – 1972) San Diego Chargers (1973) | 2,450 | 1969 |
2,616 | 1970 | |||
2,708 | 1971 | |||
2,796 | 1972 | |||
2,830 | 1973–1974 | |||
1975 – 1994 (20 years) | Fran Tarkenton ^ [7] | Minnesota Vikings | 2,931 | 1975 |
3,186 | 1976 | |||
3,341 | 1977 | |||
3,686 | 1978–1994 | |||
1995 – 2005 (11 years) | Dan Marino ^ [8] | Miami Dolphins | 3,913 | 1995 |
4,134 | 1996 | |||
4,453 | 1997 | |||
4,763 | 1998 | |||
4,967 | 1999–2005 | |||
2006 – 2017 (12 years) | Brett Favre ^ [9] | Green Bay Packers (2006 – 2007) New York Jets (2008) Minnesota Vikings (2009 – 2010) | 5,021 | 2006 |
5,377 | 2007 | |||
5,720 | 2008 | |||
6,083 | 2009 | |||
6,300 | 2010–2017 | |||
2018 – 2020 (3 years) | Drew Brees [10] | New Orleans Saints | 6,586 | 2018 |
6,867 | 2019 | |||
7,142 | 2020 | |||
Since 2021 (4 years) | Tom Brady [11] | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 7,263 | 2021 |
7,753 | 2022–2024 |
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