Three 5,000 Yard Passers? Why 2011 Was the Year of the QB | NFL Explained 

It's pretty fitting too that the most prolific passing season in NFL history would be followed by one of the deepest QB drafts in NFL history. Luck, RGIII, Tannehill, Russ, Captain Kirk, Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles, Brock Osweiler, and even Case Keenum as an undrafted free agent.

The fact that Stafford threw for 5,000 yards and 41 touchdowns and still didn’t make the pro bowl is just criminal.

1995 was the year of the Wide Receiver *Receiving Yard Leaders* 1848 Jerry Rice 1781 Issac Bruce 1686 Herman Moore 1603 Michael Irvin 1497 Robert Brooks 1488 Brett Perriman 1371 Cris Carter 1342 Tim Brown 1307 Yancey Thigpen 1301 Jeff Graham

*Passing Yard Leaders (2011)* 5,476 Drew Brees 5,235 Tom Brady 5,038 Matthew Stafford 4,933 Eli Manning 4,643 Aaron Rodgers 4,624 Philip Rivers

25 years ago, 3,200 yards and 28 touchdowns was enough to put you in the MVP conversation. We're getting to the point where 4,000 yards and 35+ touchdowns is *expected* out of a lot of the league. I fully expect the single season pass yards and pass TDs record to get broken, again, within the next five years, especially now that there's an extra game.

This was generally one of the greatest NFL seasons of all time. A great SB, two great championship games, some great storylines, nice teams, and of course these crazy QB stats.

The 49ers vs Saints was probably the game that made me fall in love with football. What a year

If arod didn't sit out week 17 and he didn't sit out all of those 4th quarters their would've been 4 5000 yard passers

Does anyone else remember that back in 2011, ESPN declared it the Year of the Quarterback so they started releasing a bunch of QB-related content? They aired documentaries on Tom Brady, Todd Marinovich, Tim Tebow, and more. They also finally started airing an Elite 11 series, highlighting the best high school quarterbacks in the country, featuring Jameis Winston. I'm not mentioning everything, but it somehow all seems perfectly timed for this NFL season to be so prime for quarterbacks. 2011 indeed was the Year of the Quarterback!

I love how in a season with so much exceptional quarterback play, Aaron Rodgers won his first MVP. 122.5 QBR is incredible! I've seen good quarterbacks throw four interceptions in a bad game, he threw four all season!

I drop everything for NFL Throwback. Especially these Explained videos 😅

the year Eli was on top of his game..boy were those late 4th quarter comebacks and that playoff run amazing to watch!

I love how after this season, we only had the greatest season a running back had in the last decade and won the mvp sheesh 2010-2012 was amazing

2011 was an amazing year for offenses. If only peyton never got knocked out for the season.

My first season watching football at age 6. I still remember crying when Michael vick was hurt and the eagles ""Dream Team"" season went down as an utter failure.

What this video wanted me to come away with : QBs were insane in 2011 What I actually came away with: no one played defense in 2011

Imagine being one of those people to shit on Brees’ legacy for not having an MVP when he has multiple seasons like this

2011 was the year of the QB and Peyton Manning WAS OUT all season! Imagine what 2011 would have been if he was there too.

I started to watch NFL during the 2012 season. I missed one great season in 2011. Being French, it's not uncommon to start loving American sports at 17. I still witnessed the Butt Fumble, so there's this good memory from that season along with Seahawks vs Falcons in playoffs.

This is that random season I review on Wikipedia all of the time specifically for this reason. Remember having just started high school thinking someone would eclipse 6000 yards by 2015. I was way off but just goes to show how insane 2011 was.

3:50 rip dt88

I am not a Saints fan yet I liked Drew Brees because he was a quarterback that gave his receivers a chance to separate from his defenders for a massive amounts of yardage after the catch.

I've never seen someone throw in windows as tight as Aaron Rodgers did

Throwback ideas for Saints/Cowboys tomorrow: 1988 Week 5 MNF 1991 Week 14 (late December NFC important game) 1994 Week 15 MNF (Larry Allen runs down a defender)

One of my favorite seasons ever, even though my team lost the division crown to the eventual super bowl champions. Just electric matchups atop electric matchups every week. The offenses were excellent

Defensive rules were changing and defenses hadn’t adjusted yet. A year later the legion of boom was born and a few years after that the no fly zone in Denver.

That Lions vs Packers game should definitely get a video soon

In retrospect it was extremely fitting that Tim Tebow's one year in the Sun had to be 2011. Matthew Stafford is amazing, too bad he never set social media on fire. Philip Rivers throwing 4,624 yards and 7.9 yards per attempt and the Chargers still missing the playoffs is SO Chargers. At least they have the excuse of "well, look at everybody ELSE this year, I dunno what to tell you."

i literally looked at the 2011 passing yards list earlier today for no reason and i open youtube just rn and see this on my recommended

And it was the season my 49ERS returned to the playoffs as a division champ after nine years

That was a fun season to watch for sure it made you forget about the lockout that happened in the offseason

probably the best season in nfl history no cap

That Broncos clip gave me chills. RIP Demaryius Thomas

We needed this season after that continuous lockout.

So what I learned from this video is that in 2011, there was 5 or 6 guys whom had seasons that would have, in any other season, gotten them the nod for MVP?

“Pulling victories out of Denver’s thin air.” 👏

This has to be the year with the most collective passing yards in a season no? That’s a stat I can’t find anywhere but it seems like it has to be this year.

2011 was a magical season for every Giants fan. You couldn't write a better script.

Lol Matt Flynn. Got a wild contract the following year because of those 6 TDs, but in Seattle. Then lost the starting job in preseason lmfaoo What a country.

hurts knowing Brees had back to back 460+ yards in the playoffs just for his defense to give the game away against SF. Easily would have beaten the Giants and would have set up a legendary Super Bowl against Brady. Brees could’ve beaten Peyton Manning and possibly Tom Brady in a span of 3 years. now it’s a simple “what if…?”

Green Bay's offense was so good Aaron sat out the equivalent of 1.5 Games, had Aaron played all 16 games he was on pace for 378/554 68.2 CMP% 5123 yards 49 TDs 6 INTs 122.4 passer rating, thats the reason why Aaron won MVP over Brees

I was at work sneaking away every 30 minutes to catch the saints/9ers playoff game. Sucks the saints lost but a helluva game

Been waiting for this video! And that year not only led to what the nfl is now, but that entire season was phenomenal in general

Crazy thing is that i wouldnt even say defenses were bad that year. Teams like the niners, ravens, texans,etc. all had great defenses but the qbs were just insane and making great throws. That was really prime brady, brees and rodgers that year.

So glad this channel exists

love these videos

Never knew how exciting that season was I actually started watching the NFL that postseason lol

This is goat content

Please keep this type of content coming

People will forever overlook the greatness of Eli Manning in this season... especially the postseason. The people who say that he got carried by his defense to a super bowl title are some of the dumbest sports fans you can find.

There is a problem with your Eli Manning yards in a post season in 2011. He did that in 4 games. What Brady did in 2016 and 2017 he did in 3 games.

And at the end of the year my GMEN and Eli were champs lol

What a beautiful Video of pure facts!!!

And Madden 12 was created . That year was just phenomenal

The only thing about this is that one quarterback that reached that plateau went to the Super Bowl and lost to the New York Football Giants, and we all know who that QB was

Okay so.. after watching this.. im not AS mad that Drew Brees didn't get MVP.. because I had no idea that year was THAT fuckin ridiculous for QBs.

my favorite QB of all time is Dan Marino.

Wow this was a great video

It's funny you mention that week 3 game against Buffalo. Prob one of my favorite games of all time even though the outcome wasn't what I wanted! Welker went off that day with 16 catches, 217 yards, and 2 tds. Went up 21-0 and thought we had it in the bag. And those 4 ints Tom threw caused him to cut his hair the following day lol. Crazy shootout!

These guys are so quick.

Great video

This really was the peak of the previous generation of QBs. you had rodgers, brady, Roethlisberger, brees, hell, even cam newton. Imagine if we have a season where mahomes, lamar, josh allen, kyler murray, justin herbert, and baker mayfield all go off and have great seasons.

I swear every other game was like a Madden game or a Pro Bowl in 2011

The only thing that bums me out from that year was that Eli was 77 yards away from hitting the 5k mark alongside Brees, Brady & Stafford 🤬

It is a good day when I get a notification for an NFL Explained video. Stay Gold, NFLTB 💜

Yeah that 9ers-Saints game was insane! Still one of the best playoff games I’ve seen.

10:42 broooooo number 74 was movin !

Vintage NFL was so much better

That NFC divisional round game between the Saints and 49ers is still the best football game I have ever seen

Left handed Qbs are my favorite to watch I'm left handed and they are sort of unorthodox

That’s insane I was Fr just watching the year of the RB vid when this uploaded

That just goes to show how valuable Rodgers was that year that he won MVP after all those great performances!

Tony Romo was the only undrafted QB in this video. Respect for my guy!🙏

6:54 clear holding 😂😂

12:21 My ninja SuperCam... 💪🏾🏈👍🏾

That Matt Flynn game against the lions is the reason the Seahawks gave him a huge contract the next season. He never played a single game for them because he got beat out for his job in the preseason by guess who? Round 3 draft pick Russell Wilson.

I remember that year It was electric with QBs and I remember most of the game back then ‼️

Tebowmania was such a miracle run by the broncos. Like who would have known Tim Tebow pushed for a playoff berth?

This year was so good for QBs, even Eli Manning was able to capitalize on it. The clutch plays and comebacks he pulled off during that season were insane.

This video is simply beautiful

Crazy to see the numbers Brees put up in 2011 and not make 1st team all pro. That means it was definitely a crazy QB year.

17:08 "...tale of legendary signal callers" *shows JAY CUTLER and JEFF GEORGE* Nicely done, guys. Subtle, yet bold. Chef's kiss.

Brees got robbed! Led in TDs and destroyed Marino's yardage record!

RIP DT

The season I feel in love with football and Tebow mania plus madden12 was out best year of my life 😭

That 49ers/Saints game was unreal.

2011 season damn i was a senior high school

Aaron Rodgers MVP again...

That Packers-Saints opener ended with Sean Payton's inexplicable decision to run the ball on the final play of the game and talking it out of Brees's hands.

That year in 2011 was a resurgence for us in Carolina. And we’ve signed an 2 FAs and ppl think they were gonna be something without Cam. They were hell wrong since they didn’t live up to the hype.

Alex smith was so fucking clutch!!! I still can’t believe we got rid of him for Colin Capernick !!!

Stafford is so damn underrated

A part of me wonders if the lockout played a part in offenses putting up video game-type numbers (no normal offseason; no OTAs or minicamps). Outside of the Texans and 49ers, hardly anyone was playing consistent defense in 2011.

I don’t remember this season as a great offensive season. Mainly because I was stuck watching the Rams who averaged 10 points a game.

Yeah there was just a lot of good and great QBs in the league at this time. Kinda crazy.

This is the year SPREAD OFFENSE emerged and defensive coordinators couldn’t sleep at night

Disrespectful to Matt Cassel 😤😤

Brees decimation of the team that shall not be called the colts was timeless #Ravens

can y'all ask this a series and talk about the 2007 season

Hi NFL Throwback!