Chicago Bears all-time passing yards leaders starts with Jay Cutler, who still owns the franchise record with 23,443 regular-season passing yards. Sid Luckman ranks second, while Jim Harbaugh, Jim McMahon and Mitchell Trubisky complete a top five that says a lot about Chicago’s long, uneven quarterback history.
This list uses regular-season Chicago Bears franchise passing yards only. Playoff and preseason passing stats are not included.
For the full franchise index, visit our Chicago Bears all-time leaders and player rankings hub.
How This Bears Passing Yards List Works
This ranking is based on regular-season passing yards recorded with the Chicago Bears franchise. Players are ranked by Bears-only passing yards, not total NFL career passing yards.
That matters for quarterbacks who played elsewhere during their careers. George Blanda, Jim Harbaugh, Kyle Orton and several others had NFL production outside Chicago, but only their Bears passing yards count here.
Last updated: 2026 offseason. Caleb Williams is listed through the 2025 season, so his ranking and passing yardage can change if he adds more yards in future seasons.
Table of Contents
- How This Bears Passing Yards List Works
- 1. Jay Cutler: 23,443 Passing Yards
- 2. Sid Luckman: 14,686 Passing Yards
- 3. Jim Harbaugh: 11,567 Passing Yards
- 4. Jim McMahon: 11,203 Passing Yards
- 5. Mitchell Trubisky: 10,609 Passing Yards
- 6. Erik Kramer: 10,582 Passing Yards
- 7. Billy Wade: 9,958 Passing Yards
- 8. Ed Brown: 9,698 Passing Yards
- 9. Caleb Williams: 7,483 Passing Yards
- 10. Bob Avellini: 7,111 Passing Yards
- Biggest Takeaways
- Full Bears Passing Yards Table
- FAQ
- Conclusion
- More Bears and NFL Rankings
1. Jay Cutler: 23,443 Passing Yards
Chicago Bears Stats: 2009-2016 with Chicago, franchise-record 23,443 passing yards, franchise-record 154 passing touchdowns and more than 3,200 pass attempts with the Bears.
Jay Cutler is the Chicago Bears all-time passing yards leader. His Chicago career had plenty of debate, but the statistical lead is not close.
Cutler gave the Bears their most productive modern passing stretch. He had the arm strength to attack tight windows, push the ball downfield and make throws Chicago had not consistently gotten from the position.
The turnovers and frustrating stretches are part of his story, but so are the records. Cutler finished nearly 9,000 yards ahead of Sid Luckman and also leads the Chicago Bears all-time passing touchdown leaders list.
2. Sid Luckman: 14,686 Passing Yards
Chicago Bears Stats: 1939-1950 with Chicago, 14,686 passing yards, 137 passing touchdowns, multiple NFL championships and Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Sid Luckman ranks second in Bears career passing yards, and his era context is massive. He played in a time when passing volume looked nothing like the modern NFL, yet he remained the franchise standard for decades.
Luckman was the quarterback of George Halas’ dominant Bears teams and the most important old-school passer in franchise history. His placement this high still feels impressive because he did it before the sport became pass-heavy.
Cutler owns the volume record, but Luckman still has the best historical quarterback case in Chicago. That is why he belongs near the top of any best Chicago Bears quarterbacks of all-time ranking.
3. Jim Harbaugh: 11,567 Passing Yards
Chicago Bears Stats: 1987-1993 with Chicago, 11,567 passing yards, 50 passing touchdowns and 89 regular-season games with the Bears.
Jim Harbaugh ranks third on the Bears all-time passing yards list. His Bears years came before his best overall NFL stretch, but he still built a strong enough Chicago résumé to sit inside the top three.
Harbaugh was not working in a quarterback-friendly setup built for huge passing numbers. His value came from toughness, competitiveness and the ability to survive difficult offensive conditions.
That makes his top-three placement meaningful. He was not a high-end Bears passer by modern standards, but he produced enough over time to remain one of the franchise’s most important quarterbacks statistically.
4. Jim McMahon: 11,203 Passing Yards
Chicago Bears Stats: 1982-1988 with Chicago, 11,203 passing yards, 67 passing touchdowns, Super Bowl XX champion and one Pro Bowl selection.
Jim McMahon ranks fourth in Bears career passing yards, but his legacy is bigger than the raw total. He was the quarterback of the 1985 Bears, one of the most famous teams in NFL history.
McMahon gave Chicago attitude, confidence and enough passing threat to keep defenses from loading everything against Walter Payton. On a team remembered mostly for defense, he still mattered to how the offense functioned.
Injuries limited his long-term numbers, which is why he never climbed higher on this list. His championship impact still makes him one of the most memorable quarterbacks the Bears have had.
5. Mitchell Trubisky: 10,609 Passing Yards
Chicago Bears Stats: 2017-2020 with Chicago, 10,609 passing yards, 64 passing touchdowns, 1,010 completions and one Pro Bowl selection.
Mitchell Trubisky ranks fifth among Bears passing yards leaders. His time in Chicago was heavily debated, but he still produced enough volume to land in the franchise top five.
Trubisky helped the Bears reach the playoffs in 2018 and had stretches where his mobility added a useful layer to the offense. The problem was that his long-term development never matched the expectations that came with his draft slot.
Still, this is a franchise passing yards list. By that standard, Trubisky’s total belongs in the top five.
6. Erik Kramer: 10,582 Passing Yards
Chicago Bears Stats: 1994-1998 with Chicago, 10,582 passing yards, 63 passing touchdowns and the franchise’s first 3,800-yard passing season.
Erik Kramer ranks sixth, just behind Trubisky. His 1995 season remains one of the best individual passing seasons in Bears history.
Kramer gave Chicago one of its rare high-volume passing peaks. For a franchise that spent decades without consistent quarterback production, that season stood out for a long time.
He was not a long-term franchise answer, but his peak still matters. Kramer’s place this high is not an accident.
7. Billy Wade: 9,958 Passing Yards
Chicago Bears Stats: 1961-1966 with Chicago, 9,958 passing yards, 68 passing touchdowns and 1963 NFL champion.
Billy Wade ranks seventh on the Bears passing yards list. He was the quarterback of Chicago’s 1963 NFL championship team, which gives his Bears résumé real historical weight.
Wade’s numbers came in a much different passing environment. He was not going to produce modern yardage totals, but he gave the Bears stability and championship-level quarterback play for that era.
His ranking is also a reminder that Chicago’s quarterback history has never been a straight line. Wade’s six-year run still sits comfortably inside the franchise top 10.
8. Ed Brown: 9,698 Passing Yards
Chicago Bears Stats: 1954-1961 with Chicago, 9,698 passing yards, 63 passing touchdowns and nearly 100 regular-season games with the Bears.
Ed Brown ranks eighth in Bears career passing yards. He was one of the franchise’s key quarterbacks between the Sid Luckman era and the 1963 championship team.
Brown’s longevity helped him stay high on the Bears leaderboard for decades. His numbers do not jump off the page now, but they need to be read through the lens of a lower-volume passing era.
He belongs here because he gave Chicago years of real quarterback production during a period where passing totals were much harder to accumulate.
9. Caleb Williams: 7,483 Passing Yards
Chicago Bears Stats: 2024-present with Chicago, 7,483 passing yards, 47 passing touchdowns and active/current-era franchise quarterback.
Caleb Williams ranks ninth already, and he is the active name to watch on this leaderboard. Chicago has historically lacked long-term high-volume passers, so a young quarterback with early production can climb fast.
Through the 2025 season, Williams is already inside the top 10 in both passing yards and passing touchdowns. That does not make him the greatest Bears quarterback yet, but it does show how quickly he is moving through the record book.
If he stays healthy and keeps producing, Williams has a clear path to move past several older names on this list.
10. Bob Avellini: 7,111 Passing Yards
Chicago Bears Stats: 1975-1984 with Chicago, 7,111 passing yards, 33 passing touchdowns and 73 regular-season games with the Bears.
Bob Avellini rounds out the top 10. He played during a lower-volume passing era and spent much of his Bears career in an offense built around the run game.
Avellini’s place here shows how rare long-term passing production has been in Chicago compared with many other NFL franchises. He does not have the same legacy as the names near the top, but the yardage total keeps him on the leaderboard.
For a stat-specific article, that is enough. Avellini produced enough Bears passing yards to remain part of the franchise top 10.
Biggest Takeaways
The biggest takeaway is Jay Cutler’s lead. With 23,443 passing yards, he remains far ahead of every other quarterback in Bears history.
The second takeaway is Sid Luckman’s staying power. Even after playing in the 1930s and 1940s, he still ranks second in franchise passing yards and remains one of the most important players in team history.
The third takeaway is Caleb Williams’ climb. He is already in the top 10 through the 2025 season and has the best chance among active Bears quarterbacks to challenge the top half of the leaderboard.
Full Table: Chicago Bears All-Time Passing Yards Leaders
Note: This table uses regular-season Chicago Bears franchise passing stats only.
| Rank | Quarterback | Years | Passing Yards | Passing TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jay Cutler | 2009-2016 | 23,443 | 154 |
| 2 | Sid Luckman | 1939-1950 | 14,686 | 137 |
| 3 | Jim Harbaugh | 1987-1993 | 11,567 | 50 |
| 4 | Jim McMahon | 1982-1988 | 11,203 | 67 |
| 5 | Mitchell Trubisky | 2017-2020 | 10,609 | 64 |
| 6 | Erik Kramer | 1994-1998 | 10,582 | 63 |
| 7 | Billy Wade | 1961-1966 | 9,958 | 68 |
| 8 | Ed Brown | 1954-1961 | 9,698 | 63 |
| 9 | Caleb Williams | 2024-2025 | 7,483 | 47 |
| 10 | Bob Avellini | 1975-1984 | 7,111 | 33 |
| 11 | Justin Fields | 2021-2023 | 6,674 | 40 |
| 12 | Johnny Lujack | 1948-1951 | 6,295 | 41 |
| 13 | Rudy Bukich | 1958-1959, 1962-1968 | 6,254 | 46 |
| 14 | Mike Tomczak | 1985-1990 | 6,247 | 33 |
| 15 | Vince Evans | 1977-1983 | 6,172 | 31 |
| 16 | Rex Grossman | 2003-2008 | 6,164 | 33 |
| 17 | George Blanda | 1949-1958 | 5,936 | 48 |
| 18 | Jim Miller | 1998-2002 | 5,867 | 34 |
| 19 | Kyle Orton | 2005-2008 | 5,319 | 30 |
| 20 | Jack Concannon | 1967-1971 | 5,222 | 31 |
| 21 | Bobby Douglass | 1969-1975 | 4,932 | 30 |
| 22 | Zeke Bratkowski | 1954, 1957-1960, 1973 | 3,639 | 24 |
| 23 | Shane Matthews | 1993-1996, 1999-2001 | 3,461 | 19 |
| 24 | Bernie Masterson | 1934-1940 | 3,366 | 34 |
| 25 | Gary Huff | 1973-1976 | 3,271 | 12 |
FAQ: Chicago Bears All-Time Passing Yards Leaders
Who has the most passing yards in Chicago Bears history?
Jay Cutler has the most passing yards in Chicago Bears history with 23,443 regular-season passing yards.
Who is second in Bears career passing yards?
Sid Luckman ranks second in Chicago Bears career passing yards with 14,686 passing yards.
Where does Caleb Williams rank in Bears passing yards?
Caleb Williams ranks ninth in Bears career passing yards with 7,483 passing yards through the 2025 season. He is active, so his ranking can change quickly.
Who has the most passing touchdowns in Bears history?
Jay Cutler also has the most passing touchdowns in Bears history with 154 regular-season passing touchdowns.
Are playoff passing yards included in this Bears ranking?
No. This ranking uses regular-season Chicago Bears passing yards only. Playoff and preseason stats are not included.
Conclusion: Jay Cutler Still Leads the Bears Passing Yards List
Jay Cutler remains the Chicago Bears all-time passing yards leader with 23,443 yards. Sid Luckman is still second despite playing in a much earlier era, while Jim Harbaugh, Jim McMahon and Mitchell Trubisky complete the top five.
The most important active name is Caleb Williams. He is already inside the Bears top 10 through the 2025 season and has a real chance to climb quickly if he stays healthy and continues producing in Chicago.
More Bears and NFL Rankings
For the full franchise picture, visit our Chicago Bears all-time leaders and player rankings hub.
You can also read our related Bears pages for the Chicago Bears all-time passing touchdown leaders, Chicago Bears all-time rushing yards leaders, Chicago Bears all-time receiving yards leaders, the best Chicago Bears quarterbacks of all-time and the best Chicago Bears players of all-time.
For broader NFL history, check out our best quarterbacks of all-time, the NFL team all-time player rankings hub and the main NFL page. You can also follow SOG Football on Instagram for more NFL rankings and football history graphics.
