NFL career lists are dominated by quarterbacks and running backs, positions where individual statistics are easy to count. They are strongly affected by rule changes that protect passers, by the lengthening of the schedule to 17 games and by the modern emphasis on passing.
The rankings in this section cover passing yards, passing touchdowns and rushing yards, with notes on how long each leader played and how the game has changed.
Tom Brady's 649 career passing touchdowns lead the all-time list, more than 75 ahead of the next quarterback.
Tom Brady's 89,214 career passing yards, compiled over 23 seasons, top the all-time list by a wide margin.
Emmitt Smith's 18,355 career rushing yards have stood as the NFL record since 2002, a mark built on durability as much as speed.
Career leaderboards in the NBA, MLB, NFL and NHL reward durability as much as brilliance. Here is how to read them without being misled.
A practical walkthrough of the columns, notes and caveats on every ranking page, so you can judge a figure rather than just copy it.