Who holds the record for the most touchdowns in the NFL?

Who holds the record for the most touchdowns in the NFL?

Lenah Ann
updated at August 9, 2023 at 9:30 AM

A quarterback is considered the most important position in the NFL, so quarterbacks receive the majority of positive and negative attention. After all, they are typically in charge of the offence. So, who holds the most touchdowns in the NFL? Stick around to find out.

Most touchdowns
Who holds the record for the most touchdowns in the NFL? Photo: Scott Taetsch (Modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

As the league becomes more pass-happy, quarterbacks are being counted on more and more to deliver touchdowns and are putting up ever-crazier numbers. Let's look at the top 10 quarterbacks who have tossed the most touchdown passes in NFL history.

Most touchdowns in NFL history

According to past and recent statistics, the following players are currently recognized for having the most touchdown passes in the history of the NFL.

10. Eli Manning - 366

Most touchdowns in a season
Former football player Eli Manning during an interview on Wednesday, 21 September 2022. Photo: Todd Owyoung
Source: Getty Images

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American quarterback Elisha Nelson Manning played for the New York Giants for 16 seasons in the National Football League. He belongs to the football dynasty of the Manning family and is Peyton Manning's younger brother and the youngest son of quarterback Archie Manning. His two Super Bowl victories, 57,023 passing yards, and 366 touchdown passes will always be cited by his supporters.

Full name

Elisha Nelson Manning

Date of birth

3 January 1981

Age

41 years old as of October 2022

Place of birth

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Height

196 Centimetres

Weight

99 kg

Team

New York Giants

9. Matt Ryan - 372

Most touchdowns in an NFL game
Matt Ryan of the Indianapolis Colts looks to pass against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field on 6 October 2022, in Denver, Texas. Photo: Cooper Neill
Source: Getty Images

American football quarterback Matthew Thomas Ryan plays for the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. Despite not having the most touchdown passes in the league yet, Ryan ranks highly on this list because he has spent most of his career playing in a pass-first offence and has remained surprisingly healthy.

In 2016, when he threw for a career-high 4,944 yards and 38 touchdowns, Ryan also won the league MVP award. The NFL player has 372 touchdown passes.

Full name

Matthew Thomas Ryan

Date of birth

17 May 1985

Place of birth

Exton, Pennsylvania, United States

Age

37 years as of 2022

Height

193 centimetres

Weight

99.8 kg

Team

Atlanta Falcons

8. Ben Roethlisberger - 418

Most touchdowns thrown in a game
Ben Roethlisberger takes part in the Celebrity Challenge for Charity during the first round of the Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS on 7 October 2022, in Jacksonville, Florida. Photo: Cliff Hawkins
Source: Getty Images

American former quarterback Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger Sr, well known by his football nickname Big Ben, spent 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League. Big Ben was a model of consistency throughout his career.

He went up the passing leaderboards and the list of all-time highest-ranked players with 178 regular season and postseason triumphs. With 418 touchdown passes, the franchise great retired following the 2021–22 season.

Full name

Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger Sr

Date of birth

2 March 1982

Age

40 years old as of October 2022

Place of birth

Lima, Ohio, United States

Height

196 centimetres

Weight

109 kg

Team

Pittsburgh Steelers

7. Dan Marino - 420

Retired American quarterback Daniel Constantine Marino Jr. spent 17 seasons with the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League. Early in his career, Marino became one of the NFL's most productive passers, tossing for 48 touchdowns and 5,084 yards in his second year.

He then had two more successful seasons before hitting his stride and finishing the rest of his career with an average of 24 touchdowns and 4,000 yards. The NFL player threw 420 touchdown passes in his career.

Full name

Daniel Constantine Marino Jr

Date of birth

15 September 1961

Age

61 years old as of October 2022

Place of birth

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Height

193 centimetres

Weight

103 kg

Team

Miami Dolphins

6. Philip Rivers - 421

Most touchdowns thrown in a game
Philip Rivers of the Indianapolis Colts looks to throw a pass against the Buffalo Bills at Bills Stadium on 9 January 2021, in Orchard Park, New York. Photo: Timothy T Ludwig
Source: Getty Images

A former quarterback in the National Football League, Philip Michael Rivers is an American who spent most of his 17 seasons with the Chargers franchise. In January 2021, he made his retirement public. Rivers has consistently been one of the top quarterbacks, and his eye-catching statistics merely scratch the surface of his abilities.

Rivers has started 240 consecutive games, is eighth all-time in career victories (regular and post-season), and ranks fifth in NFL history in both touchdown passes and passing yards (63,440). The American athlete threw 421 touchdown passes in total.

Full name

Philip Michael Rivers

Date of birth

8 December 1981

Age

40 as of 2022

Place of birth

Decatur, Alabama, United States

Height

196 centimetres

Weight

103 kg

Team

Indianapolis Colts

5. Aaron Rodgers - 457

Most touchdowns all time
Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers prepares to pass during the NFL match against New York Giants at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 9 October 2022, in London, England. Photo: Stu Forster
Source: Getty Images

American football quarterback Aaron Charles Rodgers plays for the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Rodgers is thought to possess the best physical gifts among all quarterbacks in NFL history.

Following the 2020 season, he won the NFL MVP award for the third time (2011, 2014), partly because of a career-high and league-leading 48 touchdown passes with only five interceptions. At the end of 2022, the American pro had 457 touchdown passes.

Full name

Aaron Charles Rodgers

Date of birth

2 December 1983

Age

38 years old as of October 2022

Place of birth

Chico, California, United States

Height

188 centimetres

Weight

102 kg

Team

Green Bay Packers

4. Brett Favre - 508

Most touchdowns in a game
Brett Favre walks up the 14th fairway during the Celebrity Foursome at the second round of the American Family Insurance Championship on 11 June 2022, in Madison, Wisconsin. Photo: Patrick McDermott
Source: Getty Images

American quarterback Brett Lorenzo Favre played in the National Football League for 20 seasons, mainly with the Green Bay Packers. From 1992 until 2010, Favre made 321 straight starts, including 297 games during the regular season, a record in the league.

He set NFL records for passing 71 838 yards and 508 touchdowns before officially retiring in January 2011 following the 2010 season. One of the NFL's most entertaining quarterbacks in history was the gunslinger from Kiln, Mississippi.

Full name

Brett Lorenzo Favre

Date of birth

10 October 1969

Age

53 years old as of October 2022

Place of birth

Gulfport, Mississippi, United States

Height

188 centimetres

Weight

101 kg

Team

Green Bay Packers

3. Peyton Manning - 539

Most touchdowns in a game
Former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning looks on during a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Empower Field at Mile High on 6 October 2022, in Denver, Colorado. Photo: Dustin Bradford
Source: Getty Images

American quarterback Peyton Williams Manning spent 18 seasons playing in the National Football League. He played for the Indianapolis Colts for 14 seasons and the Denver Broncos for four, earning the nickname "The Sheriff."

He held the league record for most touchdown passes four times, the most notable of which was his record-setting 2013 campaign in which he passed for 5,477 yards and a league-high 55 scores. With a stellar career that included two Super Bowl victories and 539 touchdown passes, Manning is among the quarterbacks with the most touchdowns in a season.

Full name

Peyton Williams Manning

Date of birth

24 March 1976

Age

46 years old as of October 2022

Place of birth

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Height

196 centimetres

Weight

104 kg

Team

Denver Broncos

2. Drew Brees - 571

Most touchdowns in NFL
Drew Brees chips onto the green during a pro-am prior to the Zurich Classic of New Orleans at TPC Louisiana on 20 April 2022, in Avondale, Louisiana. Photo: Chris Graythen
Source: Getty Images

American football quarterback Drew Christopher Brees played for 20 seasons in the National Football League. In 2018, Brees surpassed Peyton Manning to be the all-time leader in passing yards. In the last weeks of the 2019 season, he added the title of all-time leader in touchdown passes.

Brees was the first quarterback in NFL history to surpass 80,000 passing yards; Tom Brady later overtook him for the latter record. This occurred during the 2020 season. With 571 touchdown passes, he is among the quarterbacks with the most touchdowns in a game.

Full name

Drew Christopher Brees

Date of birth

15 January 1979

Age

43 years old as of October 2022

Place of birth

Dallas, Texas, United States

Weight

95 kg

Height

183 centimetres

Team

The New Orleans Saints

1 .Tom Brady - 631

Most touchdowns in a game-Tom Brady
Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers warms up prior to an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons at Raymond James Stadium on 9 October 2022, in Tampa, Florida. Photo: Kevin Sabitus
Source: Getty Images

NFL quarterback Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. The most impressive fact about his resume is that he has won seven Super Bowl rings, more than any other NFL team. Additionally, he has been incredibly productive, setting five league records for touchdown passes, including 43 this season at 44.

With more than 84,000 throwing yards across his career, he also holds the record for most passing yards in a single season. With a total of 631 touchdown passes, he currently holds the record for the most touchdowns in NFL history.

Full name

Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr

Date of birth

3 August 1977

Age

45 years old as of October 2022

Place of birth

San Mateo, California, United States

Height

193 centimetres

Weight

102 kg

Team

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Seven essential qualities for professional quarterbacks are accuracy, anticipation, footwork, pocket presence, athleticism, decision-making, and mental toughness. These characteristics help determine whether the prospect is a franchise quarterback and which is not.

The above players seem to have made the cut, thus recording the most touchdowns in NFL history. But the question in everyone's mind is, will Tom Brady's record be overtaken, or will he hold it forever?

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Authors
Lenah Ann photo
Lenah Ann
Lenah Ann is a Kenyan-based content creator with 2 years of experience. She graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Mass Media and Communication from Dedan Kimathi, Kenya in 2021.