These are the all-time passing yards leaders for every NFC team:
Arizona Cardinals
Jim Hart – 1966-1983
Hart played for legendary head coach Don “Air” Coryell in the 1970s, whose pass-happy offense helped get him onto this list. Hart tossed for 34,639 yards in his time with the team, the St. Louis Cardinals at the time.
Atlanta Falcons
Matt Ryan – 2008-2021
Starring in Atlanta for 14 years, Ryan made four Pro Bowls and won NFL MVP in 2016. He was consistently one of the league’s better QBs in the 2010s and threw for an impressive 59,735 yards during his time with the Falcons.
Carolina Panthers
Cam Newton – 2011-2018
One of the most physically gifted quarterbacks ever, Newton terrified defenses with his strong arm and mobility. He won NFL MVP in 2015 and threw for 29,041 yards for the Panthers, one of the league’s youngest franchises.
Chicago Bears
Jay Cutler – 2009-2016
23,443 yards isn’t a high number compared to others on this list, but Cutler helped Chicago become contenders in the early 2010s. The Bears will hope Caleb Williams can be an outlier in their history of mediocre QB play.
Dallas Cowboys
Tony Romo – 2004-2016
Romo helped the Cowboys return to relevance following their dominance in the 1990s, although the team failed to reach a Super Bowl during his time there. He made four Pro Bowls and tossed for 34,183 yards in Dallas.
Detroit Lions
Matthew Stafford – 2009-2020
Stafford’s big arm made him a legend in Detroit, and he’s still going strong in the NFL today as the QB for the Los Angeles Rams. Stafford established a special partnership with WR Calvin Johnson, helping him pass for 45,109 yards with the Lions.
Green Bay Packers
Brett Favre – 1992-2007
The gunslinger of all gunslingers, Favre led the NFL in career yards, touchdowns, and interceptions when he retired. The Packer legend won a Super Bowl in 1997 and threw for 61,655 yards with the team.
Los Angeles Rams
Jim Everett – 1986-1993
Everett may have preceded the Greatest Show on Turf by a few years, but he was a productive passer in his own right. He led the NFL in touchdown passes twice and posted 23,758 yards for the Rams.
Minnesota Vikings
Fran Tarkenton – 1961-1966, 1972-1978
Tarkenton was a big part of the Vikings’ early success, even if it might not have resulted in any Super Bowls. The mobile passer tossed for 33,098 yards during his two stints with Minnesota.
New Orleans Saints
Drew Brees – 2006-2020
Although his career almost ended before it even got going, Brees overcame a severe shoulder injury to become one of the NFL’s best QBs ever. The 13-time Pro Bowler and one-time Super Bowl champ racked up 68,010 career yards.
New York Giants
Eli Manning – 2004-2019
The younger (and worse) Manning brother had himself a very good career, throwing for 4,000 yards in seven different seasons and winning two Super Bowls. Eli threw for 57,023 yards during his time in the Big Apple.
Philadelphia Eagles
Donovan McNabb – 1999-2009
McNabb had a knack for escaping defenses and punishing them with his arm afterwards. This style of running to throw helped McNabb make six Pro Bowls and rack up 32,873 career yards.
San Francisco 49ers
Joe Montana – 1979-1992
The perfect passer for Bill Walsh’s West Coast offense, Joe Cool dismantled defenses with elite accuracy and decision-making. The five-time Super Bowl champ and NFL Hall of Famer threw for 35,124 yards in the Bay.
Seattle Seahawks
Russell Wilson – 2012-2021
Russ may not look like such a great quarterback right now, but he truly was great in Seattle, where he made nine Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl. He recorded 37,059 yards for the Seahawks.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jameis Winston – 2015-2019
Despite only playing for the team for five years, Winston racked up 19,737 passing yards behind a big arm and gunslinging mentality – generating mixed results. In 2019, Winston became the first QB ever to throw 30 TDs and 30 interceptions in the same season.
Washington Commanders
Joe Theismann – 1974-1985
The talented Theismann won MVP in 1983, leading the best offense in NFL history at the time, and also made two Pro Bowls. He totaled 25,585 career yards before suffering a career-ending injury.
