List of NFL career passing completions leaders explained

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.

Regular season completions leaders

Bolded players indicate making their debut on list.

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^	Pro Football Hall of Fame member.
	Active player.

Through season.

Rank	Player	Team(s) by season
1		New England Patriots Tampa Bay Buccaneers	7,753	12,050	64.3%
2		San Diego Chargers New Orleans Saints	7,142	10,551	67.7%
3	^^	Atlanta Falcons Green Bay Packers New York Jets Minnesota Vikings	6,300	10,169	62.0%
4	^^	Indianapolis Colts Denver Broncos	6,125	9,380	65.3%
5		Atlanta Falcons Indianapolis Colts	5,551	8,464	65.6%
6		Pittsburgh Steelers	5,440	8,443	64.4%
7		San Diego/L.A. Chargers Indianapolis Colts	5,277	8,134	64.9%
8		Green Bay Packers New York Jets (–present)	5,001	7,661	65.3%
9	^^	Miami Dolphins	4,967	8,358	59.4%
10		New York Giants	4,895	8,119	60.3%
11		Detroit Lions Los Angeles Rams (–present)	4,834	7,649	63.2%
12	^^	Denver Broncos	4,123	7,250	56.9%
13		Baltimore Ravens Denver Broncos New York Jets Philadelphia Eagles Cleveland Browns Indianapolis Colts (–present)	4,004	6,503	61.6%
14	^^	Houston Oilers Minnesota Vikings Seattle Seahawks Kansas City Chiefs	3,988	6,823	58.4%
15		Cincinnati Bengals Oakland Raiders Arizona Cardinals	3,941	6,307	62.5%
16		New England Patriots Buffalo Bills Dallas Cowboys	3,839	6,717	57.2%
17		Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cleveland Browns Baltimore Ravens New York Jets Dallas Cowboys New England Patriots Carolina Panthers	3,787	6,701	56.5%
18	^^	Minnesota Vikings New York Giants	3,686	6,467	57.0%
19		Seattle Seahawks Denver Broncos Pittsburgh Steelers (–present)	3,668	5,665	64.7%
20		Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders New Orleans Saints (–present)	3,576	5,506	64.9%
21		Carolina Panthers New Orleans Saints New York Giants Oakland Raiders Tennessee Titans Indianapolis Colts	3,487	6,261	55.7%
22		Washington Redskins Minnesota Vikings Atlanta Falcons (–present)	3,465	5,177	66.9%
23	^^	San Francisco 49ers Kansas City Chiefs	3,409	5,391	63.2%
24		Cincinnati Bengals Dallas Cowboys Chicago Bears New Orleans Saints Carolina Panthers (–present)	3,408	5,454	62.5%
25	^^	San Diego Chargers	3,297	5,604	58.8%
26		San Francisco 49ers Kansas City Chiefs Washington Football Team	3,250	5,193	62.6%
27		Green Bay Packers Seattle Seahawks Tennessee Titans Indianapolis Colts	3,222	5,330	60.5%
28		Philadelphia Eagles Washington Redskins Minnesota Vikings	3,170	5,374	59.0%
29		Seattle Seahawks Kansas City Chiefs Detroit Lions Arizona Cardinals Chicago Bears Tennessee Oilers	3,105	5,311	58.5%
30		St. Louis Rams Cincinnati Bengals Buffalo Bills Tennessee Titans Houston Texans New York Jets Tampa Bay Buccaneers Miami Dolphins Washington Football Team	3,072	5,060	60.7%
31		Miami Dolphins Tennessee Titans	3,063	4,764	64.3%
32		Denver Broncos Chicago Bears Miami Dolphins	3,048	4,920	62.0%
33		Cincinnati Bengals New York Jets Arizona Cardinals	2,969	5,205	57.0%
34	^^	Dallas Cowboys	2,898	4,715	61.5%
35		San Francisco 49ers Denver Broncos Tampa Bay Buccaneers Kansas City Chiefs Miami Dolphins Atlanta Falcons	2,874	5,024	57.2%
	^^	Buffalo Bills		4,779	60.1%
37		Los Angeles Rams New Orleans Saints San Diego Chargers	2,841	4,923	57.7%
38		Baltimore Colts San Diego Chargers	2,830	5,186	54.6%
39		Dallas Cowboys	2,829	4,335	65.3%
40		Green Bay Packers Jacksonville Jaguars Washington Redskins New Orleans Saints New York Jets	2,761	4,640	59.5%
41		Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Titans Baltimore Ravens	2,733	4,544	60.1%
42		Carolina Panthers New England Patriots	2,682	4,474	59.9%
43		Seattle Seahawks Cincinnati Bengals Detroit Lions Dallas Cowboys	2,677	4,442	60.3%
44		Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins Tampa Bay Buccaneers	2,668	4,324	61.7%
45	^^	Tampa Bay Buccaneers San Francisco 49ers	2,667	4,149	64.3%
46	^^	St. Louis Rams New York Giants Arizona Cardinals	2,666	4,070	65.5%
47		Los Angeles Rams Detroit Lions (–present)	2,657	4,107	64.7%
48		Cincinnati Bengals	2,654	4,475	59.3%
49		Dallas Cowboys (–present)	2,595	3,873	67.0%
50		St. Louis Cardinals Washington Redskins	2,593	5,076	51.1%
Rank	Player	Team(s) by season

Playoff leaders

Through playoffs.^[1] Based on at least 250 completions.

Rank	Player	Team(s) by season	Completions	Attempts
1		New England Patriots Tampa Bay Buccaneers	1,200	1,921	62.5%
2	^^	Indianapolis Colts Denver Broncos	649	1,027	63.2%
3		Green Bay Packers New York Jets (–present)	501	774	64.7%
4		Pittsburgh Steelers	498	788	63.2%
5		San Diego Chargers New Orleans Saints	481	721	66.7%
	^^	Atlanta Falcons Green Bay Packers New York Jets Minnesota Vikings		791	60.8%
7	^^	San Francisco 49ers Kansas City Chiefs	460	734	62.7%
8		Kansas City Chiefs (–present)	456	672	67.9%
9	^^	Miami Dolphins	385	687	56.0%
10	^^	Denver Broncos	355	651	54.5%
11		Philadelphia Eagles Washington Redskins Minnesota Vikings	341	577	59.1%
12	^^	Buffalo Bills	322	545	59.1%
13	^^	Dallas Cowboys	320	502	63.7%
14	^^	St. Louis Rams New York Giants Arizona Cardinals	307	462	66.5%
15	^^	Tampa Bay Buccaneers San Francisco 49ers	292	471	62.0%
16		Baltimore Ravens Denver Broncos New York Jets Philadelphia Eagles Cleveland Browns Indianapolis Colts (–present)	287	493	58.2%
17		Seattle Seahawks Denver Broncos Pittsburgh Steelers (–present)	275	451	61.0%
18	^^	Pittsburgh Steelers	261	456	57.2%
19	^^	Houston Oilers Minnesota Vikings Seattle Seahawks Kansas City Chiefs	259	403	64.3%

Historical passing completions leaders

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.

	Player	Team(s) while leader	Career completions	Season
– (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
(19 years)	Sammy Baugh^^ ^[4]		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
(9 years)	Y. A. Tittle^^ ^[5]	San Francisco 49ers New York Giants	1,696	1960
	1,859		1961
	2,059		1962
	2,280		1963
	2,427		1964–1968
(6 years)	Johnny Unitas^^ ^[6]	Baltimore Colts San Diego Chargers	2,450	1969
	2,616		1970
	2,708		1971
	2,796		1972
	2,830		1973–1974
(20 years)	Fran Tarkenton^^ ^[7]		2,931	1975
	3,186		1976
	3,341		1977
	3,686		1978–1994
(11 years)	Dan Marino^^ ^[8]		3,913	1995
	4,134		1996
	4,453		1997
	4,763		1998
	4,967		1999–2005
(12 years)	Brett Favre^^ ^[9]	Green Bay Packers New York Jets Minnesota Vikings	5,021	2006
	5,377		2007
	5,720		2008
	6,083		2009
	6,300		2010–2017
(3 years)	^[10]		6,586	2018
			6,867	2019
			7,142	2020
Since (years)	^[11]		7,263	2021
	7,753		2022–

See also

• List of gridiron football quarterbacks passing statistics
• List of National Football League career passing touchdowns leaders
• List of National Football League career passing yards leaders
• List of National Football League career quarterback wins leaders
• List of National Football League records (individual)

References

• PFRef.com enumeration of career passing completions leaders

Notes and References

1. Web site: NFL Passes Completed Career Playoffs Leaders . February 3, 2020 . ProFootballReference.com . January 26, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210126112614/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_cmp_career_playoffs.htm . live .
2. Web site: NFL Passes Completed Career Leaders . PFR . August 7, 2018 . November 3, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161103154838/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_cmp_career.htm . live .
3. Web site: Arnie Herber stats . May 6, 2018 . Pro football reference.com . March 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327064154/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HerbAr20.htm . live .
4. Web site: Sammy Baugh stats . May 6, 2018 . Pro football reference.com . December 4, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201204231115/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BaugSa00.htm . live .
5. Web site: Y.A. Tittle . September 12, 2017 . NFL.com . National Football League . September 12, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170912103329/http://www.nfl.com/player/y.a.tittle/2527468/profile . live .
6. Web site: Johnny Unitas stats . May 6, 2018 . Pro football reference.com . November 15, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131115031638/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/U/UnitJo00.htm . live .
7. Web site: Fran Tarkenton stats . May 6, 2018 . Pro football reference.com . July 4, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230704183201/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/TarkFr00.htm . live .
8. Web site: Dan Marino stats . May 6, 2018 . Pro football reference.com . March 21, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210321110938/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MariDa00.htm . live .
9. Web site: Brett Favre stats . May 6, 2018 . Pro football reference.com .
10. Web site: Drew Brees stats . December 23, 2018 . PFRef.com . July 13, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230713181244/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BreeDr00.htm . live .
11. Web site: Tom Brady stats . PFRef.com . December 12, 2021 . October 13, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231013195542/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BradTo00.htm . live .