| Year | Player | Y/G | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Drew Brees (33) | 323.6 | NOR |
| 2011 | Drew Brees (32) | 342.3 | NOR |
| 2010 | Philip Rivers (29) | 294.4 | SDG |
| 2009 | Matt Schaub (28) | 298.1 | HOU |
| 2008 | Drew Brees (29) | 316.8 | NOR |
| 2007 | Tom Brady (30) | 300.4 | NWE |
| 2006 | Drew Brees (27) | 276.1 | NOR |
| 2005 | Marc Bulger (28) | 287.1 | STL |
| 2004 | Daunte Culpepper (27) | 294.8 | MIN |
| 2003 | Peyton Manning (27) | 266.7 | IND |
| 2002 | Rich Gannon (37) | 293.1 | OAK |
| 2001 | Kurt Warner (30) | 301.9 | STL |
| 2000 | Kurt Warner (29) | 311.7 | STL |
| 1999 | Steve Beuerlein (34) | 277.3 | CAR |
| 1998 | Steve Young+ (37) | 278.0 | SFO |
| 1997 | Warren Moon+ (41) | 245.2 | SEA |
| 1996 | Mark Brunell (26) | 272.9 | JAX |
| 1995 | Steve Young+ (34) | 290.9 | SFO |
| 1994 | Drew Bledsoe (22) | 284.7 | NWE |
| 1993 | John Elway+ (33) | 251.9 | DEN |
| 1992 | Dan Marino+ (31) | 257.3 | MIA |
| 1991 | Warren Moon+ (35) | 293.1 | HOU |
| 1990 | Warren Moon+ (34) | 312.6 | HOU |
| 1989 | Joe Montana+ (33) | 270.8 | SFO |
| 1988 | Dan Marino+ (27) | 277.1 | MIA |
| 1987 | Neil Lomax (28) | 282.3 | STL |
| 1986 | Dan Marino+ (25) | 296.6 | MIA |
| 1985 | Dan Fouts+ (34) | 259.9 | SDG |
| 1984 | Dan Marino+ (23) | 317.8 | MIA |
| 1983 | Dan Fouts+ (32) | 297.5 | SDG |
| 1982 | Dan Fouts+ (31) | 320.3 | SDG |
| 1981 | Dan Fouts+ (30) | 300.1 | SDG |
| 1980 | Dan Fouts+ (29) | 294.7 | SDG |
| 1979 | Dan Fouts+ (28) | 255.1 | SDG |
| 1978 | Fran Tarkenton+ (38) | 216.8 | MIN |
| 1977 | Joe Ferguson (27) | 200.2 | BUF |
| 1976 | Ken Stabler (31) | 228.1 | OAK |
| 1975 | Ken Anderson (26) | 243.8 | CIN |
| 1974 | Ken Anderson (25) | 205.2 | CIN |
| 1973 | Roman Gabriel (33) | 229.9 | PHI |
| 1972 | Joe Namath+ (29) | 216.6 | NYJ |
| 1971 | John Hadl (31) | 219.6 | SDG |
| 1970 | John Brodie (35) | 210.1 | SFO |
| 1969 | Daryle Lamonica (28) | 235.9 | OAK |
| Sonny Jurgensen+ (35) | 221.6 | WAS | |
| 1968 | Daryle Lamonica (27) | 249.6 | OAK |
| John Brodie (33) | 215.7 | SFO | |
| 1967 | Joe Namath+ (24) | 286.2 | NYJ |
| Sonny Jurgensen+ (33) | 267.6 | WAS | |
| 1966 | Joe Namath+ (23) | 241.4 | NYJ |