Drew Brees Passes Peyton Manning for Most Passing Yards in NFL History

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is now the most prolific passer in NFL history.

With his 62-yard touchdown pass to Tre'Quan Smith during the Saints' Week 5 game against the Washington Redskins, Brees passed Peyton Manning's 71,940 career passing yards to move into first place on the all-time list.

Manning congratulated Brees on breaking his record in a way only he could:

Brees started the 2018 season as one of only three quarterbacks in NFL history with at least 70,000 passing yards. Brett Favre and Manning are the others.

Brees entered Monday night trailing Manning by 200 yards, with 98 yards separating Brees from Favre in second place.

Manning even acknowledged over the summer that his record was going to fall soon.

"I don't think it's a matter of if [Brees breaks the record], it's just a matter of when," Manning told reporters in June. "He deserves it. He's been a great player for a long time."

Brees, 39, is just checking off more boxes on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame five years after he decides to hang up his cleats.

The 11-time Pro Bowler began this season as the NFL's all-time leader in most consecutive years with at least 4,000 passing yards (12), 5,000 passing yards (five) and 300-yard passing games (109).