Drew Brees vs John Elway

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Drew Brees and John Elway compared on their NFL careers: Drew Brees played 20 seasons, 2001 to 2020, John Elway 16 seasons, 1983 to 1998. Drew Brees has 80,358 passing yards to John Elway's 51,475. Drew Brees won 1 title, John Elway won 2 titles.

Who has the better career numbers?

Drew Brees leads in 3 of the 3 lines, John Elway in 0. Bold marks the better figure; playing time — games, minutes, at-bats, innings — is not scored.

Drew Brees and John Elway career totals

287	GP	234
80,358, better	YDS	51,475
571, better	TD	300
7.6, better	AVG	7.1

How do they compare in the playoffs?

Drew Brees and John Elway postseason

18	GP	22
5,366, better	YDS	4,964
37, better	TD	27
7.4	AVG	7.6, better

Where each stands all time

Drew Brees and John Elway all-time places

2nd (80,358), better	Passing yards	12th (51,475)
2nd (571), better	Passing touchdowns	15th (300)

Among the NFL players with a career line on file, regular season, counting stats only — the same lists the records pages run on.

Titles and awards

Drew Brees and John Elway titles and awards

1	Championships	2, better
—	MVP	1, better
1	Super Bowl MVP	1
2, better	Offensive Player of the Year	—

Awards come from the league’s published winner lists; a championship counts a season played for the club that won it.

Season by season

Lined up by career year, not by calendar: each row is the players’ nth season.

Drew Brees and John Elway season by season

1st	2001	221	1	0, better	1983	1,663, better	7, better	14
2nd	2002	3,284, better	17	16	1984	2,598	18, better	15, better
3rd	2003	2,108	11	15, better	1985	3,891, better	22, better	23
4th	2004	3,159	27, better	7, better	1986	3,485, better	19	13
5th	2005	3,576, better	24, better	15	1987	3,198	19	12, better
6th	2006	4,418, better	26, better	11, better	1988	3,309	17	19
7th	2007	4,423, better	28, better	18	1989	3,051	18	18
8th	2008	5,069, better	34, better	17	1990	3,526	15	14, better
9th	2009	4,388, better	34, better	11, better	1991	3,253	13	12
10th	2010	4,620, better	33, better	22	1992	2,242	10	17, better
11th	2011	5,476, better	46, better	14	1993	4,030	25	10, better
12th	2012	5,177, better	43, better	19	1994	3,490	16	10, better
13th	2013	5,162, better	39, better	12, better	1995	3,970	26	14
14th	2014	4,952, better	33, better	17	1996	3,328	26	14, better
15th	2015	4,870, better	32, better	11	1997	3,635	27	11
16th	2016	5,208, better	37, better	15	1998	2,806	22	10, better
17th	2017	4,334	23	8	—	—	—	—
18th	2018	3,992	32	5	—	—	—	—
19th	2019	2,979	27	4	—	—	—	—
20th	2020	2,942	24	6	—	—	—	—

What the columns mean: INT