Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

NFL Announces Tom Brady’s Record Has Been Broken

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Nov 2, 2025 5:55 PM ET

Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady is widely regarded as the greatest quarterback in history.
Joe Flacco set an NFL record on Sunday, surpassing Brady.
Despite Flacco’s achievement, the Bengals lost their second straight game.

One of the things that made Tom Brady the greatest quarterback in NFL history is that he remained at the top of the game for so long, deep into his decorated 23-year career. In 2021, he led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 13-4 record. He completed 485-of-719 passes (67.5%) for a career-high 5,316 yards and 43 touchdowns. That was Brady’s second-to-last year before his (second) retirement. He was already 44 years old during that record-breaking season.

Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Flacco, who is currently in his 18th NFL season, is no Tom Brady. However, the 40-year-old was able to etch his name in history alongside Brady on Sunday with an incredible performance.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco.Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Flacco played in just his fourth game for the Bengals on Sunday. This follows the former Super Bowl MVP’s mid-season trade from the Cleveland Browns, where he played four games this year before the team decided to ship him off.

On Sunday, Flacco had another big day at the office against the Chicago Bears. The former Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens star registered 31-of-47 completed passes for a season-high 470 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions.

In the process, Flacco was able to dethrone Brady for an all-time NFL record. The Bengals veteran’s 470 passing yards on Sunday have passed Brady’s previous record of 447 yards for a player 40 years or older.

The league announced the news on social media.

Most pass yards in a single game by any player 40+ years old:

470 - Joe Flacco
447 - Tom Brady
446 - Brett Favre pic.twitter.com/zvXYTNj8WY
— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) November 2, 2025

Unfortunately for the Bengals, not even Flacco’s record-breaking outing was enough to carry them to victory. Chicago QB Caleb Williams stole the win for the Bears with a 58-yard touchdown pass to Colston Loveland with just 17 seconds left in the game.

Flacco and the Bengals fell to 3-6, with Sunday’s defeat marking their second straight loss.

Brady, on the other hand, is also back on the field on Sunday, albeit as an analyst. The 48-year-old is at Ford Field for Fox Sports’ broadcast of the Detroit Lions-Washington Commanders game.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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