Whose NFL career passing yards record did Tom Brady surpass in 2021?

Tom Brady surpassed Drew Brees’ NFL career passing-yards record in 2021. Brady broke the mark on October 3, 2021, during Tampa Bay’s 19–17 victory over New England, his former team.

Brees had finished his career with 80,358 regular-season passing yards, a total built during outstanding seasons with the San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints. Brady entered 2021 needing 1,155 yards to pass him, then reached the milestone in his 22nd NFL season.

The record was especially notable because both quarterbacks were still productive late in their careers. Brady eventually extended the record further before retiring after the 2022 season. He also became the NFL’s career leader in several other major passing categories.

A common mix-up is confusing passing yards with passing touchdowns or completions. Brees held other prominent records during his career, but Brady—not Dan Marino, Brett Favre, or Peyton Manning—passed him for career passing yards in 2021.