Breakout Seasons

The Biggest Single-Year Jumps

Every player's best single-year improvement in their position's primary counting stat: QB passing yards, RB rushing yards, WR & TE receiving yards. Injury-shortened baselines and explicit comeback-award seasons are excluded so comeback context does not masquerade as a breakout.

1,809 players scored · nflverse era (1999+)

All-Time Biggest Breakout

Patrick Mahomes

QB · 2018 · Passing Yards: 284 → 5,097

+4,813 yards · +1695%

Separated Event Seasons

Injury-shortened baselines and comeback-award seasons stay visible here instead of being mislabeled as breakouts.

Tom Brady

QB · 2009

↩

Separated as comeback context, not a generic breakout

Return season after the 2008 knee injury; classify as comeback context rather than generic breakout.

Tom Brady

QB · 2008

✚

Excluded as an injury-shortened or event-ineligible baseline

Season-shortening knee injury in Week 1; exclude this season as a normal breakout baseline.

Top 50 Breakout Seasons

Ranked by absolute yard improvement from the prior eligible season; comeback and event-ineligible seasons are filtered out

1.Patrick Mahomes2018

QB · Passing Yards

2017

284

→

+1695%

2018

5,097

+4,813 Passing Yards

2.Jon Kitna2006

QB · Passing Yards

2005

→

+4151%

2006

4,208

+4,109 Passing Yards

3.Sam Darnold2024

QB · Passing Yards

2023

297

→

+1354%

2024

4,319

+4,022 Passing Yards

4.Jordan Love2023

QB · Passing Yards

2022

195

→

+2033%

2023

4,159

+3,964 Passing Yards

5.Drew Bledsoe2002

QB · Passing Yards

2001

400

→

+990%

2002

4,359

+3,959 Passing Yards

6.Kurt Warner1999

QB · Passing Yards

1998

→

+10044%

1999

3,956

+3,917 Passing Yards

7.Aaron Rodgers2008

QB · Passing Yards

2007

218

→

+1752%

2008

4,038

+3,820 Passing Yards

8.Sam Howell2023

QB · Passing Yards

2022

169

→

+2235%

2023

3,946

+3,777 Passing Yards

9.Matt Cassel2008

QB · Passing Yards

2007

→

+9618%

2008

3,693

+3,655 Passing Yards

10.Vinny Testaverde2000

QB · Passing Yards

1999

→

+3746%

2000

3,692

+3,596 Passing Yards

11.Geno Smith2022

QB · Passing Yards

2021

702

→

+510%

2022

4,282

+3,580 Passing Yards

12.Ben Roethlisberger2020

QB · Passing Yards

2019

351

→

+983%

2020

3,803

+3,452 Passing Yards

13.Trent Green1998

QB · Passing Yards

1997

→

From zero

1998

3,441

+3,441 Passing Yards

14.Taylor Heinicke2021

QB · Passing Yards

2020

137

→

+2396%

2021

3,419

+3,282 Passing Yards

15.Philip Rivers2006

QB · Passing Yards

2005

115

→

+2845%

2006

3,387

+3,272 Passing Yards

16.Jimmy Garoppolo2019

QB · Passing Yards

2018

718

→

+454%

2019

3,978

+3,260 Passing Yards

17.Brad Johnson1999

QB · Passing Yards

1998

747

→

+434%

1999

3,988

+3,241 Passing Yards

18.Sonny Jurgensen1961

QB · Passing Yards

1960

486

→

+666%

1961

3,723

+3,237 Passing Yards

19.Dan Marino1994

QB · Passing Yards

1993

1,218

→

+266%

1994

4,453

+3,235 Passing Yards

20.Brett Favre1992

QB · Passing Yards

1991

→

From zero

1992

3,227

+3,227 Passing Yards

21.Jeff George1997

QB · Passing Yards

1996

698

→

+461%

1997

3,917

+3,219 Passing Yards

22.Randall Cunningham1998

QB · Passing Yards

1997

501

→

+639%

1998

3,704

+3,203 Passing Yards

23.Paul McDonald1984

QB · Passing Yards

1983

341

→

+918%

1984

3,472

+3,131 Passing Yards

24.Jake Delhomme2003

QB · Passing Yards

2002

113

→

+2749%

2003

3,219

+3,106 Passing Yards

25.Drew Brees2002

QB · Passing Yards

2001

221

→

+1386%

2002

3,284

+3,063 Passing Yards

26.Kyle Allen2019

QB · Passing Yards

2018

266

→

+1149%

2019

3,322

+3,056 Passing Yards

27.Carson Palmer2015

QB · Passing Yards

2014

1,626

→

+187%

2015

4,671

+3,045 Passing Yards

28.Chad Pennington2002

QB · Passing Yards

2001

→

+3291%

2002

3,120

+3,028 Passing Yards

29.Steve Beuerlein1993

QB · Passing Yards

1992

154

→

+1955%

1993

3,164

+3,010 Passing Yards

30.Brian Griese1999

QB · Passing Yards

1998

→

+150200%

1999

3,006

+3,004 Passing Yards

31.Gus Frerotte2005

QB · Passing Yards

2004

→

From zero

2005

2,996

+2,996 Passing Yards

32.Derek Anderson2007

QB · Passing Yards

2006

793

→

+377%

2007

3,786

+2,993 Passing Yards

33.Jacoby Brissett2019

QB · Passing Yards

2018

→

+147000%

2019

2,942

+2,940 Passing Yards

34.Rex Grossman2006

QB · Passing Yards

2005

259

→

+1134%

2006

3,197

+2,938 Passing Yards

35.Craig Erickson1993

QB · Passing Yards

1992

121

→

+2424%

1993

3,054

+2,933 Passing Yards

36.Mike Vick2010

QB · Passing Yards

2009

→

+3409%

2010

3,018

+2,932 Passing Yards

37.Kordell Stewart1997

QB · Passing Yards

1996

100

→

+2920%

1997

3,020

+2,920 Passing Yards

38.Boomer Esiason1985

QB · Passing Yards

1984

530

→

+550%

1985

3,443

+2,913 Passing Yards

39.Brock Purdy2023

QB · Passing Yards

2022

1,374

→

+211%

2023

4,280

+2,906 Passing Yards

40.Scott Mitchell1995

QB · Passing Yards

1994

1,456

→

+198%

1995

4,338

+2,882 Passing Yards

41.Tom Brady2001

QB · Passing Yards

2000

→

+47283%

2001

2,843

+2,837 Passing Yards

42.Ty Detmer1996

QB · Passing Yards

1995

→

+3494%

1996

2,911

+2,830 Passing Yards

43.Chad Henne2009

QB · Passing Yards

2008

→

+4196%

2009

2,878

+2,811 Passing Yards

44.John Friesz1991

QB · Passing Yards

1990

→

+2855%

1991

2,896

+2,798 Passing Yards

45.Tarvaris Jackson2011

QB · Passing Yards

2010

341

→

+806%

2011

3,091

+2,750 Passing Yards

46.Eli Manning2005

QB · Passing Yards

2004

1,043

→

+261%

2005

3,762

+2,719 Passing Yards

47.Jared Goff2017

QB · Passing Yards

2016

1,089

→

+249%

2017

3,804

+2,715 Passing Yards

48.Erik Kramer1995

QB · Passing Yards

1994

1,129

→

+240%

1995

3,838

+2,709 Passing Yards

49.Eric Hipple1985

QB · Passing Yards

1984

246

→

+1100%

1985

2,952

+2,706 Passing Yards

50.Randy Wright1986

QB · Passing Yards

1985

552

→

+488%

1986

3,247

+2,695 Passing Yards

By Position

Top breakout season per position

QB

1.Patrick Mahomes2018

QB · Passing Yards

2017

284

→

+1695%

2018

5,097

+4,813 Passing Yards

2.Jon Kitna2006

QB · Passing Yards

2005

→

+4151%

2006

4,208

+4,109 Passing Yards

3.Sam Darnold2024

QB · Passing Yards

2023

297

→

+1354%

2024

4,319

+4,022 Passing Yards

4.Jordan Love2023

QB · Passing Yards

2022

195

→

+2033%

2023

4,159

+3,964 Passing Yards

5.Drew Bledsoe2002

QB · Passing Yards

2001

400

→

+990%

2002

4,359

+3,959 Passing Yards

6.Kurt Warner1999

QB · Passing Yards

1998

→

+10044%

1999

3,956

+3,917 Passing Yards

7.Aaron Rodgers2008

QB · Passing Yards

2007

218

→

+1752%

2008

4,038

+3,820 Passing Yards

8.Sam Howell2023

QB · Passing Yards

2022

169

→

+2235%

2023

3,946

+3,777 Passing Yards

9.Matt Cassel2008

QB · Passing Yards

2007

→

+9618%

2008

3,693

+3,655 Passing Yards

10.Vinny Testaverde2000

QB · Passing Yards

1999

→

+3746%

2000

3,692

+3,596 Passing Yards

RB

1.Jamaal Charles2012

RB · Rushing Yards

2011

→

+1718%

2012

1,509

+1,426 Rushing Yards

2.Adrian Peterson2015

RB · Rushing Yards

2014

→

+1880%

2015

1,485

+1,410 Rushing Yards

3.Michael Turner2008

RB · Rushing Yards

2007

316

→

+438%

2008

1,699

+1,383 Rushing Yards

4.Arian Foster2010

RB · Rushing Yards

2009

257

→

+528%

2010

1,614

+1,357 Rushing Yards

5.Deuce McAllister2002

RB · Rushing Yards

2001

→

+1425%

2002

1,388

+1,297 Rushing Yards

6.Stephen Davis1999

RB · Rushing Yards

1998

109

→

+1153%

1999

1,366

+1,257 Rushing Yards

7.Charles White1987

RB · Rushing Yards

1986

126

→

+990%

1987

1,374

+1,248 Rushing Yards

8.Justin Forsett2014

RB · Rushing Yards

2013

→

+3984%

2014

1,266

+1,235 Rushing Yards

9.Reuben Droughns2004

RB · Rushing Yards

2003

→

+8757%

2004

1,240

+1,226 Rushing Yards

10.Fred Taylor2002

RB · Rushing Yards

2001

116

→

+1033%

2002

1,314

+1,198 Rushing Yards

WR

1.Isaac Bruce1995

WR · Receiving Yards

1994

272

→

+555%

1995

1,781

+1,509 Receiving Yards

2.Marcus Robinson1999

WR · Receiving Yards

1998

→

From zero

1999

1,389

+1,389 Receiving Yards

3.Brandon Lloyd2010

WR · Receiving Yards

2009

117

→

+1138%

2010

1,448

+1,331 Receiving Yards

4.Keenan Allen2017

WR · Receiving Yards

2016

→

+2111%

2017

1,393

+1,330 Receiving Yards

5.John Stallworth1984

WR · Receiving Yards

1983

100

→

+1295%

1984

1,395

+1,295 Receiving Yards

6.Mike Quick1983

WR · Receiving Yards

1982

156

→

+803%

1983

1,409

+1,253 Receiving Yards

7.Sidney Rice2009

WR · Receiving Yards

2008

141

→

+830%

2009

1,312

+1,171 Receiving Yards

8.Yancey Thigpen1997

WR · Receiving Yards

1996

244

→

+473%

1997

1,398

+1,154 Receiving Yards

9.Jake Reed1994

WR · Receiving Yards

1993

→

+1708%

1994

1,175

+1,110 Receiving Yards

10.Michael Irvin1991

WR · Receiving Yards

1990

413

→

+269%

1991

1,523

+1,110 Receiving Yards

TE

1.Darren Waller2019

TE · Receiving Yards

2018

→

+1427%

2019

1,145

+1,070 Receiving Yards

2.Jimmy Graham2011

TE · Receiving Yards

2010

356

→

+268%

2011

1,310

+954 Receiving Yards

3.Gary Barnidge2015

TE · Receiving Yards

2014

156

→

+569%

2015

1,043

+887 Receiving Yards

4.George Kittle2018

TE · Receiving Yards

2017

515

→

+167%

2018

1,377

+862 Receiving Yards

5.Pete Pihos1953

TE · Receiving Yards

1952

219

→

+379%

1953

1,049

+830 Receiving Yards

6.Eric Green1993

TE · Receiving Yards

1992

152

→

+520%

1993

942

+790 Receiving Yards

7.Rob Gronkowski2011

TE · Receiving Yards

2010

546

→

+143%

2011

1,327

+781 Receiving Yards

8.Jordan Cameron2013

TE · Receiving Yards

2012

226

→

+306%

2013

917

+691 Receiving Yards

9.Benjamin Watson2015

TE · Receiving Yards

2014

136

→

+507%

2015

825

+689 Receiving Yards

10.Mark Andrews2021

TE · Receiving Yards

2020

701

→

+94%

2021

1,361

+660 Receiving Yards

Instant Impact Arrivals

Players who went from 0 to elite in a single season (backup → starter breakouts)

3,441 Passing Yards

3,227 Passing Yards

2,996 Passing Yards

2,084 Passing Yards

1,573 Passing Yards

1,389 Receiving Yards

Heath Shuler1997

1,288 Passing Yards

Qadry Ismail1999

1,059 Receiving Yards

Darnay Scott1999

1,012 Receiving Yards

Tony Martin1999

1,012 Receiving Yards

Priest Holmes1998

1,008 Rushing Yards

Mark Duper1983

1,003 Receiving Yards

Sean Dawkins1999

992 Receiving Yards

Eddie Kennison1999

830 Receiving Yards

Raymont Harris1996

748 Rushing Yards