List of National Football League annual passing touchdowns leaders


This is a list of National Football League quarterbacks who have led the regular season in passing touchdowns each year. The record for touchdown passes in a season is held by Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos who threw 55 in 2013. Six quarterbacks have led the NFL in passing touchdowns in four different seasons, and one player achieved the same feat in the American Football League, the AFL.

Passing touchdown leaders

YearPlayerTDsTeam
1932Arnie Herber9*Green Bay Packers
1933Harry Newman11*New York Giants
1934Arnie Herber 8Green Bay Packers
1935Ed Danowski10New York Giants
1936Arnie Herber 11Green Bay Packers
1937Bernie Masterson9Chicago Bears
1938Bob Monnett9Green Bay Packers
1939Frank Filchock11Washington Redskins
1940Sammy Baugh12*Washington Redskins
1941Cecil Isbell15*Green Bay Packers
1942Cecil Isbell 24*Green Bay Packers
1943Sid Luckman28*Chicago Bears
1944Frank Filchock 13Washington Redskins
1945Sid Luckman 14Chicago Bears
1945Bob Waterfield14
1946Sid Luckman 17Chicago Bears
1946Bob Waterfield 17Los Angeles Rams
1947Sammy Baugh 25Washington Redskins
1948Tommy Thompson25Philadelphia Eagles
1949Johnny Lujack23Chicago Bears
1950George Ratterman22New York Yanks
1951Bobby Layne26Detroit Lions
1952Jim Finks20Pittsburgh Steelers
1952Otto Graham20Cleveland Browns
1953Bobby Thomason21Philadelphia Eagles
1954Adrian Burk23Philadelphia Eagles
1955Y. A. Tittle17San Francisco 49ers
1955Tobin Rote17Green Bay Packers
1956Tobin Rote 18Green Bay Packers
1957Johnny Unitas24
1958Johnny Unitas 19
1959Johnny Unitas 32*
1960Johnny Unitas 25
1961Sonny Jurgensen32Philadelphia Eagles
1962Y. A. Tittle 33*New York Giants
1963Y. A. Tittle 36*New York Giants
1964Frank Ryan25Cleveland Browns
1965John Brodie30San Francisco 49ers
1966Frank Ryan 29Cleveland Browns
1967Sonny Jurgensen 31Washington Redskins
1968Earl Morrall26
1969Roman Gabriel24Los Angeles Rams
1970John Brodie 24San Francisco 49ers
1971John Hadl21San Diego Chargers
1972Billy Kilmer19Washington Redskins
1972Joe Namath19New York Jets
1973Roman Gabriel 23Philadelphia Eagles
1973Roger Staubach23Dallas Cowboys
1974Ken Stabler26Oakland Raiders
1975Fran Tarkenton25Minnesota Vikings
1975Joe Ferguson25Buffalo Bills
1976Ken Stabler 27Oakland Raiders
1977Bob Griese22Miami Dolphins
1978Terry Bradshaw28Pittsburgh Steelers
1979Steve Grogan28New England Patriots
1979Brian Sipe28Cleveland Browns
1980Steve Bartkowski31Atlanta Falcons
1981Dan Fouts33San Diego Chargers
1982Dan Fouts 17San Diego Chargers
1982Terry Bradshaw 17Pittsburgh Steelers
1982Joe Montana17San Francisco 49ers
1983Lynn Dickey32Green Bay Packers
1984Dan Marino48*Miami Dolphins
1985Dan Marino 30Miami Dolphins
1986Dan Marino 44Miami Dolphins
1987Joe Montana 31San Francisco 49ers
1988Jim Everett31Los Angeles Rams
1989Jim Everett 29Los Angeles Rams
1990Warren Moon33Houston Oilers
1991Jim Kelly33Buffalo Bills
1992Steve Young25San Francisco 49ers
1993Steve Young 29San Francisco 49ers
1994Steve Young 35San Francisco 49ers
1995Brett Favre38Green Bay Packers
1996Brett Favre 39Green Bay Packers
1997Brett Favre 35Green Bay Packers
1998Steve Young 36San Francisco 49ers
1999Kurt Warner41
2000Peyton Manning33Indianapolis Colts
2000Daunte Culpepper33Minnesota Vikings
2001Kurt Warner 36
2002Tom Brady28New England Patriots
2003Brett Favre 32Green Bay Packers
2004Peyton Manning 49*Indianapolis Colts
2005Carson Palmer32Cincinnati Bengals
2006Peyton Manning 31Indianapolis Colts
2007Tom Brady 50*New England Patriots
2008Drew Brees34New Orleans Saints
2008Philip Rivers34San Diego Chargers
2009Drew Brees 34New Orleans Saints
2010Tom Brady 36New England Patriots
2011Drew Brees 46New Orleans Saints
2012Drew Brees 43New Orleans Saints
2013Peyton Manning 55*Denver Broncos
2014Andrew Luck40Indianapolis Colts
2015Tom Brady 36New England Patriots
2016Aaron Rodgers40Green Bay Packers
2017Russell Wilson34Seattle Seahawks
2018Patrick Mahomes50Kansas City Chiefs
2019Lamar Jackson36Baltimore Ravens

Top 25 Single Season Passing Touchdown Seasons

RankPlayerTeamSeasonTDTD
Pct.		Int.Int.
Pct.
1Peyton ManningDenver2013558.3101.5
2Tom BradyNew England2007508.781.4
2Patrick MahomesKansas City2018508.6122.1
4Peyton Manning Indianapolis2004499.9102.0
5Dan MarinoMiami1984488.5173.0
6Drew BreesNew Orleans2011467.0142.1
7Aaron RodgersGreen Bay2011459.061.2
8Dan Marino Miami1986447.1233.7
9Drew Brees New Orleans2012436.4192.8
10Kurt WarnerSt. Louis Rams1999418.2132.6
10Matthew StaffordDetroit2011416.2162.4
12Andrew LuckIndianapolis2014406.5162.6
12Aaron Rodgers Green Bay2016406.671.1
14Brett FavreGreen Bay1996397.2132.4
14Daunte CulpepperMinnesota2004397.1112.0
14Tom Brady New England2011396.4122.0
14Aaron Rodgers Green Bay2012397.181.4
14Drew Brees New Orleans2013396.0121.8
14Peyton Manning Denver2014396.5152.5
14Andrew Luck Indianapolis2018396.1152.3
21Brett Favre Green Bay1995386.7132.3
21Aaron Rodgers Green Bay2014387.351.0
21Matt RyanAtlanta2016387.171.3
24Peyton Manning Denver2012376.3111.9
24Drew Brees New Orleans2016375.5152.2
RankPlayerTeamSeasonTDTD
Pct.		Int.Int.
Pct.

Other leagues

All-America [Football Conference (AAFC)">All-America Football Conference">All-America [Football Conference (AAFC)]

American [Football League (AFL)">American Football League">American [Football League (AFL)]

Most titles

Johnny Unitas is the only player to win four titles in a row. Three players have won three in a row.