The Top 10 Quarterback Single Seasons Since 1990

Since the '80s, there has been an ongoing trend of passing statistics on the rise. Since the proliferation of the passing attack in the late '70s of the Don Coryell offense, commonly known as "Air Coryell," the Chargers, with Dan Fouts leading the attack, led the NFL a record of six consecutive years in passing offense and an overall seven times during Coryell's tenure. Fouts would become the second QB in NFL history in 1979 to pass for 4,000 yards in a single season.

This would lead the NFL into the age that we currently witness today.

With the rule changes that took place before the 2004 season, restricting defensive players from making contact with receivers past five yards of the line of scrimmage, 30 TD, 4,000-yard seasons, that were only seen from one QB in the early 80s, are now commonplace throughout the league.

In honor of the transition of the game of football from a run-oriented sport to the pass-oriented sport that it has become today, here are the top 10 single seasons by a QB since 1990:

10. 2009 Drew Brees

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

NEW ORLEANS - DECEMBER 27: Quarterback Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints passes the ball during the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on December 27, 2009 at Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Drew Brees had a season for the ages in 2009.

Statistically, he was off the charts. He had a 109.6 QB rating, a 70.6 completion rate and 34 passing TDs, all ranking first in the NFL for that particular season. His 70.6 completion rate established a NFL record.

He led the Saints to a 14-2 record that saw them defeat the Indianapolis Colts and NFL MVP Peyton Manning in Super Bowl 44 where he had one of the greatest QB performances in Super Bowl history. He tied a NFL record by completing 32 passes and passed for 288 yards and 2 TDs in the comeback victory over the favored Colts, en route to a Super Bowl MVP award.

If it wasn't for Manning's extraordinary season in which he led the Colts to a 14-0 record, we'd be talking about Drew Brees in 2009 as not only a Super Bowl MVP, but a NFL MVP in which we witnessed one of the greatest single seasons in the history of the game.

9. 1998 Randall Cunningham

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

22 Nov 1998: Quarterback Randall Cunningham #7 of the Minnesota Vikings in action during the game against the Green Bay Packers at the HHH Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings defeated the Packers 28-14. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Daniel /Al

In the age of Michael Vick, it's often forgotten that there was a passing/running hybrid of a QB before the debut of Vick.

His name was Randall Cunningham.

He may not have been as fast or as electric of a running QB as Michael Vick, but he sure as hell passed the ball a lot better.

In 1998, when it seemed like Randall Cunningham's NFL career as a starter was over, starter Brad Johnson went down in Week 2 due to a leg injury. Cunningham would go on to start the rest of the season and the rest is history.

Cunningham led the league in passer rating with a 106.0 rating, was second to Steve Young in TD passes with 34, had the fifth most passing yards with 3,704 and he led a Vikings offense that featured a tremendous supporting cast that included the likes of Randy Moss, Cris Carter and Robert Smith to a then NFL record 556 points in a single season and a 15-1 record.

Had Gary Anderson not choked away the Vikings' chances to advance to the Super Bowl against the Falcons in the NFC Championship game, we may be talking about the 1998 Vikings as one of the greatest teams of all time, and we may remember Randall Cunningham in a more memorable light.

8. 1995 Brett Favre

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

3 Dec 1995: Quarterback Brett Favre #4 of the Green Bay Packers scrambles out of the pocket and scans the field for a receiver during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Bengals 24-1

Brett Favre played so long, had three straight MVP seasons in the '90s and had so many great seasons, it was hard to pick which one deserved to be on this list.

I had a hard time choosing between '95 and '96 Favre, but in the end I had to go with '95 Favre.

In his best statistical season other than 2009, Favre threw for 4,413 yards, 38 TDs, and recorded a 99.5 QB rating while leading the Packers to an 11-5 record—their best record in 30 years—and a NFC Championship game appearance.

Oh yeah, he also won the first of his three straight MVP awards.

Favre from 1995 is over '96 Favre on this list because of the favorable statistics and the fact that Favre led the Packers to more success that season than anybody imagined. By the time 1996 rolled around, the Packers were NFC favorites.

7. 1990 Randall Cunningham

Mike Powell/Getty Images

22 Dec 1990: PHILADELPHIA EAGLES QUARTERBACK RANDALL CUNNINGHAM SETS TO THROW DURING THE EAGLES 23-21 WIN OVER THE PHOENIX CARDINALS AT SUN DEVIL STADIUM IN TEMPE, ARIZONA.

You may be thinking how in the hell did Randall Cunningham make this list twice?

Despite not even being close to being an all-time Top 10 QB, and despite not being the most consistent QB you've seen, Cunningham had two single seasons that are eclipsed by few.

1990 Randall Cunningham was Randall Cunningham at his best. He had 30 TDs, 13 INTs, 3400 yards, 91.6 QB rating, 942 yards rushing, five rushing TDs, and led the Eagles to a 10-6 record and a playoff berth.

He won the Bert Bell award for Player of the Year and the NFL PFWA MVP.

If it wasn't for the Niners being so great yet again in 1990 and Joe Montana having one of his usual MVP-like seasons, Cunningham would have easily been MVP in 1990. He arguably deserved it just as much, if not more than Montana that year.

6. 2004 Daunte Culpepper

Elsa/Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS - DECEMBER 12: Daunte Culpepper #11 of the Minnesota Vikings looks to pass in the first half against the Seattle Seahawks on December 12, 2004 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Seattle Seahawks defeated the Min

In a season that was clearly overshadowed by the legendary record-breaking season of Peyton Manning, this season by Daunte Culpepper is completely forgotten.

This season saw Randy Moss decimated by injury, only playing about half of the season at full health (he was injured for the other several games that he played in), the Vikings running game a mess (18th in rushing) and the best receiver being Nate Burleson. Yes, that Nate Burleson.

That didn't matter as Culpepper had his last great season before injuries ate his career up.

The numbers: 69.2 completion rate, 4,717 yards, 39 TDs, 11 INTs, 110.9 QB rating. He led the Vikings to a mediocre record of 8-8, but they had an upset over the favored Packers in the wild card round before falling to the Eagles in the divisional round.

In any other season, Culpepper's 2004 season would be talked about for ages. Unfortunately, it happened at the wrong time.

5. 1999 Kurt Warner

Elsa/Getty Images

28 Nov 1999: Kurt Warner #13 of the St. Louis Rams runs to pass the ball during a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Trans World Dome in St. Louis, Missouri. The Rams defeated the Saints 43-12. Mandatory Credit: Elsa Hasch /Allsport

A season that will be remembered for ages. A Cinderella story if there ever was one in the NFL. The former grocery store bagger turned Super Bowl MVP.

Warner was a star in the AFL before signing with the Rams in 1998. He was a backup QB in 1998 before an injury shelved starter Trent Green in the pre-season in '99, enabling Warner to step in and handle the starting duty.

That turned out better than anybody expected.

Warner threw for a league leading 41 TDs, 13 INTs, 109.2 QB rating, 65.1 completion rate, amassed a 13-3 record, and had 4,353 passing yards—all while leading the previously mediocre Rams to heights that they had never reached before, a Super Bowl victory over the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl 34.

Warner won a Super Bowl MVP award in one of the greatest showings on the grand stage. He threw for a Super Bowl record 414 yards and two TDs including a 73-yard TD pass to Isaac Bruce with over two minutes remaining that ended up sealing the victory for the Rams.

4. 1994 Steve Young

George Rose/Getty Images

SAN FRANCISCO - DECEMBER 17: Quarterback Steve Young #8 of the San Francisco 49ers sets to pass during a game against the Denver Broncos at Candlestick Park on December 17, 1994 in San Francisco, California. The 49ers won 42-19. (Photo by George Rose/G

Steve Young was the best QB in the NFL hands down from 1992-1994. If it wasn't for Young starting his NFL career so late as a starting QB in his 30s, we may be talking about Young as the GOAT.

Young had a typical season by his standards in 1994: 70.3 completion rate, 35 TDs, 10 INTs, 112.8 QB rating, 293 yards rushing yards, 7 rushing TDs, NFL MVP. Oh yeah, he was also eighth in the league in rushing TDs: as a Quarterback!

Young would go on to have one of the top three—if not the greatest—Super Bowl performances of all time. Six TD passes, 325 yards and 49 yards rushing to become the first player to ever lead a Super Bowl in passing and rushing.

Young won the Super Bowl MVP and finally got the "monkey off his back."

3. 2010 Tom Brady

Rick Stewart/Getty Images

ORCHARD PARK, NY - DECEMBER 26: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots throws a pass against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium on December 26, 2010 in Orchard Park, New York. New England won 34-3. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

I was really urged to put this season number one on this list. As far as the most impressive regular season by a QB I've ever seen, it has to be 2010 Tom Brady.

In a season that saw the Pats as underdogs for the AFC East Division title entering the season, and in a season that saw the Pats get rid of Randy Moss after four games and have rookie TE Aaron Hernandez as their second best offensive option, Brady has his best regular season, all things considered, in 2010.

A NFL record that continues today for most passes attempted without an INT—the lowest INT percentage in the history of the NFL for a QB that started a full season. Brady had 36 TDs, four INTs, and a 65.9 completion rate while leading the Pats to a 14-2 record.

The reason why this season is number three is because of the record-breaking seasons in the top two and because of the disappointing end to the Pats' season at the hands of the Jets in the Divisional Playoffs.

2. 2004 Peyton Manning

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

INDIANAPOLIS - DECEMBER 26: Peyton Manning #18 of the Indianapolis Colts looks to pass against the San Diego Chargers on December 26, 2004 at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana. Peyton Manning passed Dan Marino as he threw his NFL regular season reco

Unbelievable. That's one word to describe Peyton Manning. From an individual standpoint, he may be not only the most consistent QB in the NFL today, but in NFL history.

In 2004, Manning broke Marino's 20-year-old record for passing TDs in a single season when he put up 49 TDs, 10 INTs, 4,557 yards and a 67.6 completion rate while establishing the NFL single season record for passer rating with a 121.1 QB rating.

Manning would win his first of a NFL-record four MVPs in 2004, while leading the Colts to another one of their typical 12-4 seasons.

1. 2007 Tom Brady

Al Bello/Getty Images

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 29: Tom Brady #12 and the New England Patriots drops back to pass against the New York Giants on December 29, 2007 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

It's a heated debate as to which single season is better: Peyton Manning's 2004 season or Tom Brady's 2007 season.

When all things are considered, I have to go with Tom Brady's 2007 season.

He broke Manning's single season TD record with 50 TD passes. He established the highest TD:INT ratio in a single season in NFL history. He had a higher completion rate with a 68.9 percent completion rate and had more passing yards with 4,806 on the season. He also led the Pats to the only 16-0 record in NFL history.

The season in which he led the Pats to a NFL record for points scored in a single season would end in a bitter loss to the upset-minded New York Giants in Super Bowl 42. That still doesn't take away from the greatest single season by a QB in NFL history.