List of National Football League annual pass completion percentage leaders


This is a list of National Football League quarterbacks who have led the regular season in pass completion percentage each year. The record for completion percentage in a season is held by Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints who completed 74.4% of his passes in 2018. Five quarterbacks have led the NFL in completion percentage in four different seasons, and one player achieved the same feat in the AFL. Otto Graham led the AAFC in 1947 and the NFL three times.

Completion percentage leaders

Set record*Tied record^

YearPlayerCompletion %TeamRef
1933Arnie Herber40.3%*Green Bay Packers
1934Arnie Herber36.5%Green Bay Packers
1936Ed Matesic46.4%*Pittsburgh Pirates
1937Ed Danowski49.3%*New York Giants
1938Ed Danowski54.3%*New York Giants
1939Parker Hall51.0%
1940Sammy Baugh62.7%*Washington Redskins
1941Cecil Isbell56.8%Green Bay Packers
1942Sammy Baugh58.7%Washington Redskins
1943Sammy Baugh55.6%Washington Redskins
1944Frank Filchock57.1%Washington Redskins
1945Sammy Baugh70.3%*Washington Redskins
1946Sammy Baugh54.0%Washington Redskins
1947Sammy Baugh59.3%Washington Redskins
1948Sammy Baugh58.7%Washington Redskins
1949Sammy Baugh56.9%Washington Redskins
1950Bob Waterfield57.3%Los Angeles Rams
1951Bobby Thomason56.6%Green Bay Packers
1952Norm Van Brocklin55.1%Los Angeles Rams
1953Otto Graham64.7%Cleveland Browns
1954Otto Graham59.2%Cleveland Browns
1955Otto Graham53.0%Cleveland Browns
1955Bobby Layne53.0%Detroit Lions
1956Ed Brown57.1%Chicago Bears
1957Y. A. Tittle63.1%San Francisco 49ers
1958John Brodie59.9%San Francisco 49ers
1959Milt Plum58.6%Cleveland Browns
1959Billy Wade58.6%Los Angeles Rams
1960Milt Plum60.4%Cleveland Browns
1961Milt Plum58.6%Cleveland Browns
1962Bart Starr62.5%Green Bay Packers
1963Y. A. Tittle60.2%New York Giants
1964Bart Starr59.9%Green Bay Packers
1965John Brodie61.9%San Francisco 49ers
1966Bart Starr62.2%Green Bay Packers
1967Johnny Unitas58.5%
1968Bart Starr63.7%Green Bay Packers
1969Sonny Jurgensen62.0%Washington Redskins
1970Sonny Jurgensen59.9%Washington Redskins
1971Virgil Carter62.2%Cincinnati Bengals
1972Norm Snead60.3%New York Giants
1973Ken Stabler62.7%Oakland Raiders
1974Ken Anderson64.9%Cincinnati Bengals
1975Len Dawson66.4%Kansas City Chiefs
1976Ken Stabler66.7%Oakland Raiders
1977Fran Tarkenton60.1%Minnesota Vikings
1978Bob Griese63.0%Miami Dolphins
1979Dan Fouts62.6%San Diego Chargers
1980Joe Montana64.5%San Francisco 49ers
1981Joe Montana63.7%San Francisco 49ers
1982Ken Anderson70.6%*Cincinnati Bengals
1983Ken Anderson66.7%Cincinnati Bengals
1984Steve Bartkowski67.3%Atlanta Falcons
1985Joe Montana61.3%San Francisco 49ers
1986Eric Hipple63.0%Detroit Lions
1987Joe Montana66.8%San Francisco 49ers
1988Wade Wilson61.4%Minnesota Vikings
1989Joe Montana70.2%San Francisco 49ers
1990Jim Kelly63.3%Buffalo Bills
1991Dave Krieg65.6%Seattle Seahawks
1992Steve Young66.7%San Francisco 49ers
1993Troy Aikman69.1%Dallas Cowboys
1994Steve Young70.3%San Francisco 49ers
1995Steve Young66.9%San Francisco 49ers
1996Steve Young67.7%San Francisco 49ers
1997Steve Young67.7%San Francisco 49ers
1998Brett Favre63.0%Green Bay Packers
1998Steve Beuerlein63.0%Carolina Panthers
1999Kurt Warner65.1%
2000Kurt Warner67.7%
2001Kurt Warner68.7%
2002Chad Pennington68.9%New York Jets
2003Peyton Manning67.0%Indianapolis Colts
2004Brian Griese69.3%Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2005Carson Palmer67.8%Cincinnati Bengals
2006David Carr68.3%Houston Texans
2007Tom Brady68.9%New England Patriots
2008Chad Pennington67.4%Miami Dolphins
2009Drew Brees70.6%^New Orleans Saints
2010Drew Brees68.1%New Orleans Saints
2011Drew Brees71.2%*New Orleans Saints
2012Peyton Manning68.6%Denver Broncos
2012Matt Ryan68.6%Atlanta Falcons
2013Philip Rivers69.5%San Diego Chargers
2014Tony Romo69.9%Dallas Cowboys
2015Kirk Cousins69.8%Washington Redskins
2016Sam Bradford71.6%*Minnesota Vikings
2017Drew Brees72.0%*New Orleans Saints
2018Drew Brees74.4%*New Orleans Saints
2019Drew Brees74.3%New Orleans Saints

Top 25 single-season completion percentage leaders

The NFL requires players to reach certain minimums to qualify as a leader in per-game stats, percentage stats, and passer rating. Since 1978 the minimum number is 14 pass attempts per team game. These are the completion percentage leaders as compiled by Pro football reference.

RankPlayerCompletion %TeamSeason
1Drew Brees74.4%New Orleans Saints2018
2Drew Brees 74.3%New Orleans Saints2019
3Drew Brees 72.0%New Orleans Saints2017
4Sam Bradford71.6%Minnesota Vikings2016
5Drew Brees 71.2%New Orleans Saints2011
6Drew Brees 70.6%New Orleans Saints2009
6Ken Anderson70.6%Cincinnati Bengals1982
8Derek Carr70.4%Oakland Raiders2019
9Sammy Baugh70.3%Washington Redskins1945
9Steve Young70.3%San Francisco 49ers1994
9Ryan Tannehill70.3%Tennessee Titans2019
12Joe Montana70.2%San Francisco 49ers1989
13Kirk Cousins70.1%Minnesota Vikings2018
14Drew Brees 70.0%New Orleans Saints2016
15Tony Romo69.9%Dallas Cowboys2014
15Matt Ryan69.9%Atlanta Falcons2016
17Kirk Cousins 69.8%Washington Redskins2015
18Carson Wentz69.6%Philadelphia Eagles2018
19Philip Rivers69.5%San Diego Chargers2013
20Matt Ryan 69.4%Atlanta Falcons2018
21Brian Griese69.3%Tampa Bay Buccaneers2004
22Drew Brees 69.2%New Orleans Saints2014
22Daunte Culpepper69.2%Minnesota Vikings2004
24Troy Aikman69.1%Dallas Cowboys1993
24Kirk Cousins 69.1%Minnesota Vikings2019
24Jimmy Garoppolo69.1%San Francisco 49ers2019
RankPlayerCompletion %TeamSeason

Other leagues

All-America [Football Conference (AAFC)">All-America Football Conference">All-America [Football Conference (AAFC)]

American [Football League (AFL)">American Football League">American [Football League (AFL)]

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