Reflecting on the Anniversary of Drew Brees Setting the NFL Passing Record

Six years ago today, Drew Brees became the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards. For a while.

Drew Brees Breaks All-Time Passing Yards Record as The New Orleans Saints take on The Washington Redskins during Monday Night Football at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Monday, Oct. 8, 2018. / SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Six years ago today, Drew Brees wrote his name into the NFL history books.

Playing for the New Orleans Saints against the Washington Redskins (now known as the Washington Commanders), Brees broke the record for most passing yards all-time by a quarterback in NFL history (meaning all yards accumulated through the air in the regular and postseason). Playing on Monday Night Football with his team up 20-6, Brees found a wide-open Tre'Quan Smith for a 62-yard score. The touchdown pushed Brees past the previous mark of 71,940 career passing yards.

DREW BREES SETS THE ALL TIME PASSING RECORD 🔥 @drewbrees (via thedaltondean/IG) pic.twitter.com/bMNK6AMh3X

— Overtime (@overtime) October 9, 2018

The game was stopped to allow Brees to be honored. He received a placard, handed the record-setting ball to David Baker, former president of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and celebrated with his family.

While his own record was broken a few years later by Tom Brady, it was a truly remarkable moment in football lore and worth looking back on.

• The short guy with the shoulder injury.
• The rejection in SD and post-hurricane redemption in NOLA.
• Six feet of calm, cool and collected dad, overshadowed by his glitzier QB cohort.

If this is how you see @drewbrees — boy, are you missing out https://t.co/eeo9wcxKpI pic.twitter.com/CubUq0iYPC

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 27, 2018

When did Drew Brees break the record?

Brees broke the record officially on October 8, 2018. His Saints were taking on the Redskins in prime time in a Week 5 contest. New Orleans didn't let Brees's big night go to waste and beat the tar out of Washington, 43-19.

Brees would lead the Saints to the postseason that year. They beat the Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional Round before losing to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game, thanks in part to the most famous no-call in modern football history.

Who's record did he break?

Before Brees, Peyton Manning was the all-time NFL record holder for career passing yards, clocking in at 71,940 yards. Manning accumulated his stats over 18 seasons in the NFL, playing for the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos. He broke Brett Favre's previous passing yards record of 71,838 in 2015.

How many career passing yards does Brees have?

Six years ago today Brees set a new record, but he wasn't done yet. He suited up for two more years in New Orleans and didn't really slow down. The longtime Saints quarterback finished his career with 80,358 yards passing. He retired in 2020 as the leader in all-time passing yards.

Who holds the record now?

Of course, Brees's lead was not long for the world. One year after his retirement, Tom Brady broke Brees's record for all-time passing yards as a member of the rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady broke the record in 2021 against his longtime team, the New England Patriots, and Brees was on-site to congratulate him.

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A post shared by Drew Brees (@drewbrees)

Brady padded his stats and retired two years later with a pretty lengthy lead over Brees, and anyone who wants to catch his record will have a real hard time of doing so.

Here's what the leaderboard looks like now.

PLAYER	ALL-TIME NFL PASSING YARDS
Tom Brady	89,214
Drew Brees	80,358
Peyton Manning	71,940
Brett Favre	71,868
Ben Roethlisberger	64,088

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