Passing accuracy (complete percentage, anyway) keep creeping up. Now we’re at the point where half of the teams in the league are completing over 65 percent.
All but one team, in fact, is at least over 61 percent. (And then there’s Anthony Richardson, down at 44 percent.)
As things stand, we’re going to have new record holders for passing accuracy, both for veterans and for rookies.
Jared Goff is currently completing almost 75 percent, with a shot to eclipse Drew Brew. And two other 2024 quarterbacks (Jayden Daniels and Baker Mayfield) are on pace to join Brees and Sam Bradford as the only quarterbacks to finish over 71 percent.
Of the 24 players (with at least 200 attempts) who’ve completed at least 70 percent in a season, four come from the current season, and nine come from the last five years.
COMPLETING OVER 70 PERCENT IN A SEASON | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Com | Att | Pct | Yards | TD | Int |
2024 | Jared Goff, Det. | 158 | 211 | 74.9 | 1,840 | 14 | 4 |
2018 | Drew Brees, N.O. | 364 | 489 | 74.4 | 3,992 | 32 | 5 |
2019 | Drew Brees, N.O. | 281 | 378 | 74.3 | 2,979 | 27 | 4 |
2017 | Drew Brees, N.O. | 386 | 536 | 72.0 | 4,334 | 23 | 8 |
2016 | Sam Bradford, Min. | 395 | 552 | 71.6 | 3,877 | 20 | 5 |
2024 | Jayden Daniels, Was. | 163 | 228 | 71.5 | 1,945 | 9 | 2 |
2024 | Baker Mayfield, T.B. | 225 | 315 | 71.4 | 2,389 | 23 | 9 |
2011 | Drew Brees, N.O. | 468 | 657 | 71.2 | 5,476 | 46 | 14 |
2020 | • Aaron Rodgers, G.B. | 372 | 526 | 70.7 | 4,299 | 48 | 5 |
2009 | Drew Brees, N.O. | 363 | 514 | 70.6 | 4,388 | 34 | 11 |
1982 | Ken Anderson, Cin. | 218 | 309 | 70.6 | 2,495 | 12 | 9 |
2020 | • Drew Brees, N.O. | 275 | 390 | 70.5 | 2,942 | 24 | 6 |
2021 | • Joe Burrow, Cin. | 366 | 520 | 70.4 | 4,611 | 34 | 14 |
2019 | Derek Carr, Oak. | 361 | 513 | 70.4 | 4,054 | 21 | 8 |
2023 | • Jake Browning, Cin. | 171 | 243 | 70.4 | 1,936 | 12 | 7 |
1994 | Steve Young, S.F. | 324 | 461 | 70.3 | 3,969 | 35 | 10 |
2019 | Ryan Tannehill, Ten. | 201 | 286 | 70.3 | 2,742 | 22 | 6 |
2020 | • Deshaun Watson, Hou. | 382 | 544 | 70.2 | 4,823 | 33 | 7 |
1989 | Joe Montana, S.F. | 271 | 386 | 70.2 | 3,521 | 26 | 8 |
2024 | Joe Burrow, Cin. | 212 | 302 | 70.2 | 2,244 | 20 | 4 |
2012 | Alex Smith, S.F. | 153 | 218 | 70.2 | 1,737 | 13 | 5 |
2018 | Kirk Cousins, Min. | 425 | 606 | 70.1 | 4,298 | 30 | 10 |
2016 | Drew Brees, N.O. | 471 | 673 | 70.0 | 5,208 | 37 | 15 |
The way Jayden Daniels is playing, it will be a surprise – a shock, really – if he doesn’t break the completion percentage record for rookies. He’s currently sitting at 71.5 percent, giving him a sizable cushion of 2016 Dak Prescott (67.8 percent). If Daniels got 0 for 12 on Sunday against Pittsburgh, he’ll still be ahead of Prescott.
For rookies, 10 of the top 20 seasons (for completion percentage) have come in the last five years. We’ve got Daniels and Bo Nix this year, and eight other rookies since 2020 going over 62 percent.
TOP 20 COMPLETION PERCENTAGES FOR ROOKIES | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Com | Att | Pct | Yards | TD | Int |
2024 | Jayden Daniels, Was. | 163 | 228 | 71.5 | 1,945 | 9 | 2 |
2016 | Dak Prescott, Dall. | 311 | 459 | 67.8 | 3,667 | 23 | 4 |
2021 | • Mac Jones, N.E. | 352 | 521 | 67.6 | 3,801 | 22 | 13 |
2021 | • Davis Mills, Hou. | 263 | 394 | 66.8 | 2,664 | 16 | 10 |
2020 | • Justin Herbert, LAC | 396 | 595 | 66.6 | 4,336 | 31 | 10 |
2004 | Ben Roethlisberger, Pitt. | 196 | 295 | 66.4 | 2,621 | 17 | 11 |
2012 | Robert Griffin, Was. | 258 | 393 | 65.6 | 3,200 | 20 | 5 |
2020 | • Joe Burrow, Cin. | 264 | 404 | 65.3 | 2,688 | 13 | 5 |
2014 | Teddy Bridgewater, Min. | 259 | 402 | 64.4 | 2,919 | 14 | 12 |
2019 | Kyler Murray, Ari. | 349 | 542 | 64.4 | 3,722 | 20 | 12 |
2020 | • Tua Tagovailoa, Mia. | 186 | 290 | 64.1 | 1,814 | 11 | 5 |
2012 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 252 | 393 | 64.1 | 3,118 | 26 | 10 |
2023 | • C.J. Stroud, Hou. | 319 | 499 | 63.9 | 4,108 | 23 | 5 |
2018 | Baker Mayfield, Cle. | 310 | 486 | 63.8 | 3,725 | 27 | 14 |
2022 | • Kenny Pickett, Pitt. | 245 | 389 | 63.0 | 2,404 | 7 | 9 |
2024 | Bo Nix, Den. | 184 | 294 | 62.6 | 1,753 | 8 | 6 |
2016 | Carson Wentz, Phil. | 379 | 607 | 62.4 | 3,782 | 16 | 14 |
2015 | Marcus Mariota, Ten. | 230 | 370 | 62.2 | 2,818 | 19 | 10 |
2023 | • Aidan O'Connell, L.V. | 213 | 343 | 62.1 | 2,218 | 12 | 7 |
2019 | Daniel Jones, NYG | 284 | 459 | 61.9 | 3,027 | 24 | 12 |
In both of the above charts, players from current seasons in bold. Other players from the last five years tagged with dots.
Statistics compiled using search tools at Pro-Football-Reference.com
—Ian Allan