From 1990 to 1999, NFL quarterbacks passed for 4,000+ yards 19 times. That means that there was an average of 1.9 quarterbacks throwing for 4,000+ yards every season. In 1997, no quarterback threw for more than 4,000 yards and from 1990 to 1992 only one quarterback threw for 4,000+ yards.
From the years 2000-2009, an average of 4.5 quarterbacks threw for 4,000+ yards. This season, 10 different quarterbacks threw for at least 4,000 yards. If you take from 2006-2009, the average rises to 6.75 quarterbacks reaching the 4,000 yard plateau a year. To help put this further into perspective, lets take it back 30 years.
The decade of 1970 to 1979 provided the NFL's fans with a single 4,000 yard passer. Dan Fouts threw for 4,082 yards in 1979. The average passing leader put up approximately 2,690 yards a season. Why such disparity?
Not a simple question to answer, and maybe we shall dive deeper into it at a later date but there are some definitive quick answers. In the '70s, the NFL season as only 14 games long but even if they played 16 games, most quarterbacks would not have hit 4,000 yards anyway. The NFL has also instituted certain rules that inhibit how aggressive defenses can play, giving wide receivers more space to maneuver and get open for their quarterback who cannot be hit and wear skirts that the league provides for them. There is also such a larger emphasis on year round training, crazy medicine to help people recover from injuries and a whole lot more reasons why offenses are more explosive now than they were 30 years ago.
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