"Move over Marino, there's a Brees coming through the door" - Jim Henderson (Dec 26, 2011)
By Bob Rose | Canal Street Chronicles
Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino set a single season landmark of passing yardage that many thought unthinkable during the 1984 season. Marino passed for 5.084 yards, (along with 48 touchdowns) during the '84 campaign, besting the previous mark of 4,802 set in 1981 by Dan Fouts of the San Diego Chargers. The 5,000 yard plateau was one that no one thought possible, and many believed that it may never occur again. Marino himself, for all of his passing achievements, would only come as close as 254 yards away in 1986, his second most prolific season. More than two decades would go by after Marino's record breaking season, and only 10 quarterbacks had seasons of over 4,500 yards passing during that period, with no one breaking the hallowed 5,000-yd. mark. It would be 24 years before another quarterback, another all-time great, would eclipse this elusive barrier.
Drew Brees joined the New Orleans Saints as a free agent in 2006 after a solid five year career with the Chargers. Brees would have immediate success with the Saints, throwing for 26 touchdowns and a league high 4,418 yards in '06 while leading his new team to the NFC Championship game. The Saints were not as successful in the win column during 2007 and '08, but continued to put up prolific passing numbers. After throwing for over 4,400 yards again in 2007, Brees became just the second player to throw for over 5,000 yards in 2008, falling just short of Marino's record with 5.069 yards. New Orleans would rebound from two subpar seasons in 2009, rolling to a Super Bowl championship as Brees would again throw for well over 4,000 yards both that season and again during a 2010 playoff push.
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