Top 20 feature passers

Top 20 Passing

Passing | Rushing | Receiving | Scoring | Combined Net Yards | Top 20 Potpourri | Coaching
All-Time Passer Ratings | All-Time Passing Leaders

Rich Gannon entered the Top 20 Passing list during the 2001 NFL season. He finished the year in 11th place all-time. (Photo: Associated Press)

Rich Gannon of the Oakland Raiders was the lone addition in 2001 to the Top 20 ranking of quarterbacks based on the passing rating system. The 13-year veteran entered the Top 20 in the sixth week of the season and climbed to 11th overall by the end of the season. Gannon completed 361 of 549 passes for 3,828 yards, and 27 touchdowns in 2001. It marked the third straight season that he has thrown for 3,000 yards since joining the Raiders in 1999. His career rating climbed to 83.06. Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers threw for 3,921 yards and 32 touchdowns to climb two spots to third overall with a career rating of 86.8. He also extended his NFL record streak of starts by a quarterback, which reached 157 consecutive starts.

Four other active passers - Peyton Manning (No. 6), Mark Brunell (No. 7), Brad Johnson (No. 10), and Neil O'Donnell (No. 18) also ranked among the Top 20 career leaders. Two other active quarterbacks Randall Cunningham and Elvis Grbac, both of whom played for the Baltimore Ravens in 2001, had stints among the Top 20 passers in 2001 but were later displaced.

Leading Lifetime Passers

Minimum 1500 attempts
(At the Start of 2002 Season)