In American football, passing, along with running (also referred to as rushing), is one of the two main methods of advancing the ball down the field. Passes are typically attempted by the quarterback, but any offensive player can throw one, provided they are behind the line of scrimmage. To qualify as a passing play, the ball must move forward upon leaving the passer's hands; if it moves laterally or backward, the play is considered a running play. A player catching a forward pass is called a receiver. A touchdown pass occurs when a pass results in a touchdown, either by being caught and advanced into the end zone or caught within its boundaries. The number of passing touchdowns a player makes is a recorded statistic in football games. In addition to the overall National Football League (NFL) passing touchdown leaders, league record books recognize the passing touchdown leaders of the American Football League, which operated from 1960 to 1969 before merging with the NFL in 1970. In 2025, the league announced that they would acknowledge records from the All-American Football Conference (AAFC), which operated from 1946 to 1949 before merging with the NFL in 1950.

Tom Brady holds the record for most passing touchdowns with 649, followed by Drew Brees with 571 and Peyton Manning with 539. Aaron Rodgers leads all active players with 534 career passing touchdowns. Brady is also the record holder for the most career playoff passing touchdowns with 88. He is followed by Patrick Mahomes with 46, and Joe Montana and Rodgers, tied for third at 45. Mahomes leads all active players in career playoff passing touchdowns. The longest career passing touchdown record holder is Fran Tarkenton, who held the record from 1975 to 1994.

Regular season career passing touchdowns leaders

+ Legend Symbol Meaning TDs The total number of passing touchdowns the player had during their career GP The number of games played by a player during their career Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame ^ Active player

Through Week 4 of season. Top 50 are listed below.

+ Rank Player Team(s) Seasons 1 649 335 New England Patriots Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2 571 287 San Diego Chargers New Orleans Saints 3 539 266 Indianapolis Colts Denver Broncos 4 ^534268 Green Bay Packers New York Jets Pittsburgh Steelers –present5 508 302 Atlanta Falcons Green Bay Packers New York Jets Minnesota Vikings –6^429243Detroit LionsLos Angeles Rams7425247 San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers Indianapolis Colts , 8 420 242 Miami Dolphins 9 418 249 Pittsburgh Steelers 10 381 234 Atlanta Falcons Indianapolis Colts 11 366 236 New York Giants 12 353205Seattle SeahawksDenver BroncosPittsburgh SteelersNew York Giants13 342246 Minnesota Vikings , New York Giants 14^309178Washington RedskinsMinnesota VikingsAtlanta FalconsLas Vegas Raiders15300234Denver Broncos16 294 182 Cincinnati Bengals Oakland Raiders Arizona Cardinals 17 291208 Houston Oilers Minnesota Vikings Seattle Seahawks Kansas City Chiefs 18 290 211 Baltimore Colts San Diego Chargers 19^276130Kansas City Chiefs20 275 233 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cleveland Browns Baltimore Ravens New York Jets , Dallas Cowboys New England Patriots Carolina Panthers21 273192 San Francisco 49ers Kansas City Chiefs 22 ^272209 Baltimore Ravens Denver Broncos New York Jets , Philadelphia Eagles Cleveland Browns , Indianapolis Colts Cincinnati Bengals–present23^265155Los Angeles RamsDetroit Lions24261213Seattle SeahawksKansas City ChiefsDetroit LionsArizona CardinalsChicago BearsTennessee Oilers25257169Oakland/Las Vegas RaidersNew Orleans Saints26255218 Philadelphia Eagles Washington Redskins 27^254179Cincinnati BengalsDallas CowboysChicago BearsNew Orleans SaintsCarolina PanthersPhiladelphia Eagles–present181San Diego Chargers29 251194 New England Patriots Buffalo Bills Dallas Cowboys ^14331 248 15632 247187 Cincinnati Bengals , New York Jets Arizona Cardinals 33 244 224 San Diego Chargers Los Angeles Rams Green Bay Packers Houston Oilers 34 242 204 Baltimore Colts 1948— San Francisco 49ers New York Giants 35239211 Pittsburgh Steelers Cleveland Browns Dallas Texans Kansas City Chiefs 36237160 Buffalo Bills 37236340 Chicago Bears, Baltimore Colts Houston Oilers Oakland Raiders 38234167Philadelphia Eagles Washington Redskins Minnesota Vikings 39 232169 Tampa Bay Buccaneers San Francisco 49ers 40 227153 Denver Broncos Chicago Bears Miami Dolphins 41^226131Buffalo Bills–present42 223 166 St. Louis Rams Cincinnati Bengals Buffalo Bills Tennessee Titans Houston Texans New York Jets Tampa Bay Buccaneers Miami Dolphins Washington Football Team 43216155 Miami Dolphins Tennessee Titans 44 214 201 San Francisco 49ers 45 212168Pittsburgh Steelers 209 Green Bay Packers Seattle Seahawks Tennessee Titans Indianapolis Colts 47 209 201 St. Louis Cardinals Washington Redskins 48 208 198 Carolina Panthers New Orleans Saints New York Giants Oakland Raiders Tennessee Titans Indianapolis Colts 124 St. Louis Rams` New York Giants Arizona Cardinals 50207161 Philadelphia Eagles Minnesota Vikings Dallas Cowboys Baltimore Ravens

Playoff career passing touchdowns leaders Based on at least 18 TD passes. + Legend Meaning TDs The total number of passing touchdowns the player had during their playoff career GP The number of games played by a player during their playoff career Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame ^ Active player Updated through end of 2025–26 NFL playoffs. Rank Player Team(s) Seasons 18848New England PatriotsTampa Bay Buccaneers2^4621Kansas City Chiefs–present34523San Francisco 49ersKansas City Chiefs^Green Bay PackersNew York JetsPittsburgh Steelers–present 54424Atlanta FalconsGreen Bay PackersNew York JetsMinnesota Vikings64027Indianapolis ColtsDenver Broncos 73718San Diego ChargersNew Orleans Saints83623Pittsburgh Steelers 9 3218Miami Dolphins– 103113St. Louis RamsNew York GiantsArizona Cardinals 113019Pittsburgh Steelers12^2915Buffalo Bills132722Denver Broncos 17Seattle SeahawksDenver BroncosPittsburgh SteelersNew York Giants15^2616Baltimore RavensDenver BroncosNew York Jets, Philadelphia EaglesCleveland Browns, Indianapolis ColtsCincinnati Bengals16^2513Detroit LionsLos Angeles Rams 172416Philadelphia EaglesWashington RedskinsMinnesota Vikings20Dallas Cowboys192316202117Buffalo Bills212010Atlanta FalconsIndianapolis Colts22Tampa Bay BuccaneersSan Francisco 49ers 231913Buffalo BillsOakland RaidersHouston OilersNew Orleans Saints 251811Green Bay PackersSeattle SeahawksTennessee TitansIndianapolis Colts12New York Giants

Historical career passing touchdowns leaders

Sixteen players are recognized as having held outright or tied the record as the NFL's career passing touchdowns leader.

+ Player Team(s) while leader Season(s) 1 Buffalo All-Americans 7 2 Canton Bulldogs 8 3 Green Bay Packers 14 19 22 23 24 4 Tied Green Bay Packers 5 New York Giants () Brooklyn Dodgers () 40 53 56 61 66 6 Tied Green Bay Packers 7 Washington Redskins 80 84 95 103 128 150 168 178 185 187 8Tied Pittsburgh Steelers 196 9 New York Giants 202 212 10 Baltimore Colts (1967–1972)San Diego Chargers (1973) 232 252 254 266 280 283 287 290 11 Minnesota Vikings 291 308 317 342 12 Miami Dolphins 352 369 385 408 420 13 Green Bay Packers ()New York Jets ()Minnesota Vikings (–) 442 464 497 508 14 Denver Broncos 530 539 15 New Orleans Saints 547 16 Since ( years) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 581 624 649 –present

See also List of NFL annual passing touchdowns leaders

Notes

References