National Football League

Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and others who could break NFL records this season

Published Sep. 8, 2021 12:23 p.m. ET

The start of the NFL season brings the opportunity for a few of the league's greatest players to write their names in the record books.

There is a good chance that a number of records could fall this season to players who are Canton-bound, and other records could fall to some of the NFL's most promising young stars.

Here are the records to keep an eye on as we kick off the 2021 NFL campaign.

80,358

That is the career passing yards record held by recently retired quarterback Drew Brees. Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady enters the season at 79,204 yards, placing him easily within striking distance.

Brees also owns the all-time completions record (7,142), with Brady needing 365 to surpass Brees' mark. If Brady breaks both records, he would be the NFL's all-time leader in completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns.

He will also become just the third quarterback in NFL history to start 300 career games when he takes the field Thursday against the Dallas Cowboys.

Brady has another chance to make history if he defeats the New England Patriots in a Week 4 matchup.

He currently has wins over 31 NFL teams in his career. A win over his former franchise would make him the first player to defeat all 32 squads.

There is a reason Brady is considered the GOAT, and his name appears constantly in the record books.

If he throws just one touchdown pass this season, he will become only the fourth quarterback in league history to throw a touchdown pass in 20 NFL seasons, joining Brees, Earl Morrall and Vinny Testaverde.

442

That total is the Green Bay Packers' franchise record for career touchdown passes, currently held by Brett Favre.

Aaron Rodgers has 412, so he needs 30 to tie Favre's record.

Ryan Fitzpatrick already owns the record for throwing touchdowns for the most franchises, having passed for at least one for eight different teams.

If he throws a TD with the Washington Football Team, he will extend his own record.

Fitzpatrick also has the opportunity to become the first quarterback to lose to 31 different NFL franchises.

As of Week 1, he has lost to 28 teams, and his Washington Football Team faces three of the other four this season (Packers, Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints).

8,196

That is the record for passing yards through a quarterback's first two seasons in the NFL, currently held by Andrew Luck.

That record could fall this season at the hands of the Chargers' Justin Herbert, who passed for 4,336 yards as a rookie. He needs 3,861 yards this season to break the record.

Aaron Donald is currently tied with J.J. Watt and Lawrence Taylor for the most AP Defensive Player of the Year awards, with three.

Another win this season would place Donald alone at the top.

2,775

Justin Jefferson set the NFL ablaze as a rookie with 1,400 receiving yards. If he can follow that with another elite season, he could pass a fellow LSU Tiger in the record books.

Jefferson needs 1,376 yards this season to break Odell Beckham Jr.'s record for the most receiving yards in a player's first two seasons.

5,000

If he can record 494 this season, Russell Wilson would become the third quarterback in NFL history to amass 5,000 career rushing yards.

Michael Vick (6,109) and Cam Newton (5,398) are the only other quarterbacks to reach the milestone.

Larry Fitzgerald has a touchdown reception in 17 NFL seasons, and with just one this year, he could become the second player in NFL history to catch a touchdown in at least 18 seasons. The only receiver to do that was Jerry Rice, who recorded a touchdown reception in 21 seasons.

But there is a problem: Fitzgerald does not currently have a team, and though he has not officially announced his retirement, he has said that he doesn't have the "urge to play."

324

Bill Belichick currently has 311 career wins in the regular season and postseason combined.

With 13 more wins, Belichick would tie George Halas for the second-most coaching wins in NFL history. With 14 more, he would move to second place alone, behind only Don Shula.

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