It's no secret that the NFL is a passing league. Since the 1970s, rules have evolved in favour of offenses and that has seen the game evolve in that direction.
The league is giving the fans what they want and, as a result, most quarterback records are being consistently broken.
Of the all-time passing yards leaders, 10 of the top 11 are contemporary players. Only Dan Marino (1983-1999), the original passing monster, stands among these modern players as having played his entire career last century.
Despite the avalanche of passing stats, there is one group that it remains quite difficult to break into, the 5K club.
Only nine quarterbacks in the history of the league have managed at least 5,000 passing yards in a single season.
These are their stories.
Dan Marino
The Miami Dolphins legend was a huge statistical outlier in an era when the passing game was only really beginning to blossom. His 5084 yards in 1984 was the first time any quarterback broke the 5,000-yard mark. Marino also added all-time records for completions, and passing touchdowns (48).
He was named both MVP and offensive player of the year as he led the Dolphins to the Super Bowl. In the big game, Marino threw two picks and just one touchdown as the San Francisco 49ers romped to a dominant win.
Marino's passing yards record stood until 2011, when it was broken by Drew Brees.
Drew Brees
The first after the first, Drew Brees joined the 5K club with 5,069 yards in 2008. Brees was otherworldly as he led the New Orleans Saints to lead the league in points scored, yards gained, and passing yards. He also topped the league in passing touchdowns, but the Saints finished an unimpressive 8-8, to miss the playoffs.
Brees then made history in 2011 as he became the first player to hit 5,000 twice, breaking Marino's record with 5,476 yards. He repeated the trick in 2012 with another huge season (5,177 yards), before making it three consecutive seasons in 2013 as he reached 5,162 yards.
Only two other players have managed to reach 5,000 more than once, and neither did it in consecutive seasons.
Tom Brady
Tom Brady reached the exclusive total in 2011 as he led the new-look New England Patriots offense to the Super Bowl with a 13-3 record. The twin-tight-ends offense of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez opened up huge holes for the diminutive Wes Welker to exploit and Brady enjoyed an all-time season. The Patriots charged into the Super Bowl but were upset for a second time in the big game by Eli Manning and the New York Giants.
Brady became the first player to hit 5,000 on different teams and the first to do over 17 games, reaching the mark with 326 yards in the season finale against the Carolina Panthers.
Matthew Stafford
Long reckoned as the quarterback with the biggest arm in the league, Detroit Lions signal caller Matthew Stafford set about proving it in 2011. Returning from injury, Stafford was named the Comeback Player of the Year as he led the 10-6 Lions to a Wild Card berth.
Stafford was involved in setting the record for most passing yards in a game -1,000 - when the Lions faced Matt Flynn's Green Bay Packers in January.
Peyton Manning
Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning joined the club with one of the all-time great quarterback seasons in 2013.
Manning set career, franchise and league records in numerous categories including points and touchdowns scored. He was named MVP, and led the Denver Broncos to an AFC West title and a 13-3 record. Beating the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots en-route to the Super Bowl, Manning seemed poised to finally win a second ring but was hit with the buzzsaw Seattle Seahawks defense. The Seahawks won 43-8.
Ben Roethlisberger
Pittsburgh Steelers veteran Ben Roethlisberger set a personal record and led the NFL in 2018 with 5,129 yards. The Steelers missed the playoffs despite Roethlisberger's heroics, as they posted a 9-6-1 record.
Despite posting career highs for completions, attempts and yards, Big Ben also led the league in interceptions with 16.
Patrick Mahomes
It is no surprise to see the the reigning NFL MVP on this list. He is one of three players to have made two entries, reaching 5,000 yards in 2018 and 2022. The 2018 season was Mahomes' moment to announce himself as the rising star quarterback in the league. He won the MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards and led the league with 50 touchdown passes. His season ended in a historic shootout defeat to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium, 37-31.
Mahomes did it again in 2022 with an MVP-winning season. He became the fastest player to 20,000 career yards (67 games) and broke Dan Marino's record for most touchdowns through 75 career games (176). He led the league in passing yards (5,250) and passing touchdowns (41). He was also named Super Bowl MVP as the Chiefs won their third Super Bowl and second with him as quarterback. It is worth noting that Mahomes' 2022 season was over 17 games.
Justin Herbert
One slight surprise inclusion on this list is Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. Herbert squeaked onto the list in 2021 with 5,014 passing yards over 17 games.
Herbert broke a number of records for second year quarterbacks including most completions and most touchdowns (69). The Chargers didn't reach the playoffs despite Herbert's eye-catching statistics as they recorded a 9-8 record.