# List of NFL annual passing touchdowns leaders

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 attempt a pass provided they are behind the line of scrimmage. To qualify as a passing play, the ball must have initially moved forward after leaving the hands of the passer; if the ball initially moved laterally or backwards, the play would instead be considered a running play. A player who catches a forward pass is called a receiver. A touchdown pass is a pass thrown from a passer to a receiver that results in a touchdown being scored. To be counted as a touchdown pass, the ball can be caught within the field of play and advanced by the receiver into the end zone, or caught by a receiver within the boundaries of the end zone. 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 (AFL), which operated from 1960 to 1969 before being absorbed into the NFL in 1970. The NFL did not begin keeping official records until the 1932 season.
Tom Brady has led the NFL in passing touchdowns five times, more than any other quarterback. Johnny Unitas is the only player to lead the league four times consecutively, doing so from 1957 through 1960. The record for touchdown passes in a season is held by Peyton Manning, who had 55 passing touchdowns in the 2013 season while playing for the Denver Broncos. Only two other players have recorded 50 or more passing touchdowns in a season, Brady and Patrick Mahomes.

## NFL annual passing touchdowns leaders

Key :
| Symbol | Meaning |
| Leader | The player who recorded the most passing touchdowns in the NFL |
| TDs | The total number of passing touchdowns the player had |
| GP | The number of games played by a player during the season |
| † | Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame |
| ^ | Active player |
| * | Set the single-season passing touchdowns record |
| (#) | Denotes the number of times a player appears in this list |
NFL annual passing touchdowns leaders by season :
| Season | Leader | TDs | GP | Team |
| 1932 | Arnie Herber† | 9* | 14 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1933 | Harry Newman | 11* | 14 | New York Giants |
| 1934 | Arnie Herber† (2) | 8 | 11 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1935 | Ed Danowski | 10 | 12 | New York Giants |
| 1936 | Arnie Herber† (3) | 11 | 12 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1937 | Bernie Masterson | 9 | 10 | Chicago Bears |
| 1938 | Bob Monnett | 9 | 8 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1939 | Frank Filchock | 11 | 11 | Washington Redskins |
| 1940 | Sammy Baugh† | 12* | 11 | Washington Redskins |
| 1941 | Cecil Isbell | 15* | 11 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1942 | Cecil Isbell (2) | 24* | 11 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1943 | Sid Luckman† | 28* | 10 | Chicago Bears |
| 1944 | Frank Filchock (2) | 13 | 10 | Washington Redskins |
| 1945 | Sid Luckman† (2) | 14 | 10 | Chicago Bears |
| 1945 | Bob Waterfield† | 14 | 10 | Cleveland Rams |
| 1946 | Sid Luckman† (3) | 17 | 11 | Chicago Bears |
| 1946 | Bob Waterfield† (2) | 17 | 11 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1947 | Sammy Baugh† (2) | 25 | 12 | Washington Redskins |
| 1948 | Tommy Thompson | 25 | 12 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1949 | Johnny Lujack | 23 | 12 | Chicago Bears |
| 1950 | George Ratterman | 22 | 12 | New York Yanks |
| 1951 | Bobby Layne† | 26 | 12 | Detroit Lions |
| 1952 | Jim Finks† | 20 | 12 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1952 | Otto Graham† | 20 | 12 | Cleveland Browns |
| 1953 | Bobby Thomason | 21 | 12 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1954 | Adrian Burk | 23 | 12 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1955 | Y. A Tittle† | 17 | 12 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1955 | Tobin Rote | 17 | 12 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1956 | Tobin Rote (2) | 18 | 12 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1957 | Johnny Unitas† | 24 | 12 | Baltimore Colts |
| 1958 | Johnny Unitas† (2) | 19 | 10 | Baltimore Colts |
| 1959 | Johnny Unitas† (3) | 32* | 12 | Baltimore Colts |
| 1960 | Johnny Unitas† (4) | 25 | 12 | Baltimore Colts |
| 1961 | Sonny Jurgensen† | 32 | 14 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1962 | Y. A Tittle† (2) | 33* | 14 | New York Giants |
| 1963 | Y. A Tittle† (3) | 36* | 13 | New York Giants |
| 1964 | Frank Ryan | 25 | 14 | Cleveland Browns |
| 1965 | John Brodie | 30 | 13 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1966 | Frank Ryan (2) | 29 | 14 | Cleveland Browns |
| 1967 | Sonny Jurgensen† (2) | 31 | 14 | Washington Redskins |
| 1968 | Earl Morrall | 26 | 14 | Baltimore Colts |
| 1969 | Roman Gabriel | 24 | 14 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1970 | John Brodie (2) | 24 | 14 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1971 | John Hadl | 21 | 14 | San Diego Chargers |
| 1972 | Billy Kilmer | 19 | 12 | Washington Redskins |
| 1972 | Joe Namath† | 19 | 13 | New York Jets |
| 1973 | Roman Gabriel (2) | 23 | 14 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1973 | Roger Staubach† | 23 | 14 | Dallas Cowboys |
| 1974 | Ken Stabler† | 26 | 14 | Oakland Raiders |
| 1975 | Fran Tarkenton† | 25 | 14 | Minnesota Vikings |
| 1975 | Joe Ferguson | 25 | 14 | Buffalo Bills |
| 1976 | Ken Stabler† (2) | 27 | 12 | Oakland Raiders |
| 1977 | Bob Griese† | 22 | 14 | Miami Dolphins |
| 1978 | Terry Bradshaw† | 28 | 16 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1979 | Steve Grogan | 28 | 16 | New England Patriots |
| 1979 | Brian Sipe | 28 | 16 | Cleveland Browns |
| 1980 | Steve Bartkowski | 31 | 16 | Atlanta Falcons |
| 1981 | Dan Fouts† | 33 | 16 | San Diego Chargers |
| 1982 | Dan Fouts† (2) | 17 | 9 | San Diego Chargers |
| 1982 | Terry Bradshaw† (2) | 17 | 9 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1982 | Joe Montana† | 17 | 9 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1983 | Lynn Dickey | 32 | 16 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1984 | Dan Marino† | 48* | 16 | Miami Dolphins |
| 1985 | Dan Marino† (2) | 30 | 16 | Miami Dolphins |
| 1986 | Dan Marino† (3) | 44 | 16 | Miami Dolphins |
| 1987 | Joe Montana† (2) | 31 | 13 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1988 | Jim Everett | 31 | 16 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1989 | Jim Everett (2) | 29 | 16 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1990 | Warren Moon† | 33 | 15 | Houston Oilers |
| 1991 | Jim Kelly† | 33 | 15 | Buffalo Bills |
| 1992 | Steve Young† | 25 | 16 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1993 | Steve Young† (2) | 29 | 16 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1994 | Steve Young† (3) | 35 | 16 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1995 | Brett Favre† | 38 | 16 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1996 | Brett Favre† (2) | 39 | 16 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1997 | Brett Favre† (3) | 35 | 16 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1998 | Steve Young† (4) | 36 | 15 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1999 | Kurt Warner† | 41 | 16 | St. Louis Rams |
| 2000 | Peyton Manning† | 33 | 16 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 2000 | Daunte Culpepper | 33 | 16 | Minnesota Vikings |
| 2001 | Kurt Warner† (2) | 36 | 16 | St. Louis Rams |
| 2002 | Tom Brady | 28 | 16 | New England Patriots |
| 2003 | Brett Favre† (4) | 32 | 16 | Green Bay Packers |
| 2004 | Peyton Manning† (2) | 49* | 16 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 2005 | Carson Palmer | 32 | 16 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 2006 | Peyton Manning† (3) | 31 | 16 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 2007 | Tom Brady (2) | 50* | 16 | New England Patriots |
| 2008 | Drew Brees | 34 | 16 | New Orleans Saints |
| 2008 | Philip Rivers | 34 | 16 | San Diego Chargers |
| 2009 | Drew Brees (2) | 34 | 16 | New Orleans Saints |
| 2010 | Tom Brady (3) | 36 | 16 | New England Patriots |
| 2011 | Drew Brees (3) | 46 | 16 | New Orleans Saints |
| 2012 | Drew Brees (4) | 43 | 16 | New Orleans Saints |
| 2013 | Peyton Manning† (4) | 55* | 16 | Denver Broncos |
| 2014 | Andrew Luck | 40 | 16 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 2015 | Tom Brady (4) | 36 | 16 | New England Patriots |
| 2016 | Aaron Rodgers^ | 40 | 16 | Green Bay Packers |
| 2017 | Russell Wilson^ | 34 | 16 | Seattle Seahawks |
| 2018 | Patrick Mahomes^ | 50 | 16 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 2019 | Lamar Jackson^ | 36 | 15 | Baltimore Ravens |
| 2020 | Aaron Rodgers^ (2) | 48 | 16 | Green Bay Packers |
| 2021 | Tom Brady (5) | 43 | 17 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 2022 | Patrick Mahomes^ (2) | 41 | 17 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 2023 | Dak Prescott^ | 36 | 17 | Dallas Cowboys |
| 2024 | Joe Burrow^ | 43 | 17 | Cincinnati Bengals |

## AFL annual passing touchdowns leaders

Key :
| Symbol | Meaning |
| Leader | The player who recorded the most passing touchdowns in the AFL |
| TDs | The total number of passing touchdowns the player had |
| GP | The number of games played by a player during the season |
| † | Pro Football Hall of Fame member |
| * | Player set the single-season passing touchdowns record |
| (#) | Denotes the number of times a player appears in this list |
AFL annual passing touchdowns leaders by season :
| Season | Leader | TDs | GP | Team |
| 1960 | Al Dorow | 26* | 14 | New York Titans |
| 1961 | George Blanda† | 36* | 14 | Houston Oilers |
| 1962 | Len Dawson† | 29 | 14 | Dallas Texans |
| 1963 | Len Dawson† (2) | 26 | 14 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 1964 | Babe Parilli | 31 | 14 | Boston Patriots |
| 1965 | Len Dawson† (3) | 21 | 14 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 1966 | Len Dawson† (4) | 26 | 14 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 1967 | Daryle Lamonica | 30 | 14 | Oakland Raiders |
| 1968 | John Hadl | 27 | 14 | San Diego Chargers |
| 1969 | Daryle Lamonica (2) | 34 | 14 | Oakland Raiders |

## Most seasons leading the league

| Count | Player | Seasons | Team(s) |
| 5 | Tom Brady | 2002, 2007, 2010, 2015, 2021 | New England Patriots (4) / Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1) |
| 4 | Drew Brees | 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 | New Orleans Saints |
| 4 | Len Dawson | 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 4 | Brett Favre | 1995–1997, 2002 | Green Bay Packers |
| 4 | Peyton Manning | 2000, 2004, 2006, 2013 | Indianapolis Colts (3) / Denver Broncos (1) |
| 4 | Johnny Unitas | 1957–1960 | Baltimore Colts |
| 4 | Steve Young | 1992–1994, 1998 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 3 | Arnie Herber | 1932, 1934, 1936 | Green Bay Packers |
| 3 | Sid Luckman | 1943, 1945, 1946 | Chicago Bears |
| 3 | Dan Marino | 1984–1986 | Miami Dolphins |
| 3 | Y. A. Tittle | 1955, 1962, 1963 | San Francisco 49ers (1) / New York Giants (2) |