# List of National Football League annual passing touchdowns leaders

Peyton Manning holds the single season passing touchdown record, passing for 55 touchdowns in 2013.
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. Tom Brady has led the NFL in passing touchdowns in five different seasons, more than any other quarterback in NFL history; he is also the only quarterback to lead the NFL in passing touchdowns in three different decades.

## Passing touchdown leaders

|  |
| --- |
| Set record\* |

| Year | Player | TDs | Team |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1932 | Arnie Herber (1) | 9\* | Green Bay Packers |
| 1933 | Harry Newman | 11\* | New York Giants |
| 1934 | Arnie Herber (2) | 8 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1935 | Ed Danowski | 10 | New York Giants |
| 1936 | Arnie Herber (3) | 11\* | Green Bay Packers |
| 1937 | Bernie Masterson | 9 | Chicago Bears |
| 1938 | Bob Monnett | 9 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1939 | Frank Filchock (1) | 11\* | Washington Redskins |
| 1940 | Sammy Baugh (1) | 12\* | Washington Redskins |
| 1941 | Cecil Isbell (1) | 15\* | Green Bay Packers |
| 1942 | Cecil Isbell (2) | 24\* | Green Bay Packers |
| 1943 | Sid Luckman (1) | 28\* | Chicago Bears |
| 1944 | Frank Filchock (2) | 13 | Washington Redskins |
| 1945 | Sid Luckman (2) | 14 | Chicago Bears |
| Bob Waterfield (1) | Cleveland Rams |
| 1946 | Sid Luckman (3) | 17 | Chicago Bears |
| Bob Waterfield (2) | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1947 | Sammy Baugh (2) | 25 | Washington Redskins |
| 1948 | Tommy Thompson | 25 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1949 | Johnny Lujack | 23 | Chicago Bears |
| 1950 | George Ratterman | 22 | New York Yanks |
| 1951 | Bobby Layne | 26 | Detroit Lions |
| 1952 | Jim Finks | 20 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Otto Graham (3) | Cleveland Browns |
| 1953 | Bobby Thomason | 21 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1954 | Adrian Burk | 23 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1955 | Y. A. Tittle (1) | 17 | San Francisco 49ers |
| Tobin Rote (1) | Green Bay Packers |
| 1956 | Tobin Rote (2) | 18 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1957 | Johnny Unitas (1) | 24 | Baltimore Colts |
| 1958 | Johnny Unitas (2) | 19 | Baltimore Colts |
| 1959 | Johnny Unitas (3) | 32\* | Baltimore Colts |
| 1960 | Johnny Unitas (4) | 25 | Baltimore Colts |
| 1961 | Sonny Jurgensen (1) | 32\* | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1962 | Y. A. Tittle (2) | 33\* | New York Giants |
| 1963 | Y. A. Tittle (3) | 36\* | New York Giants |
| 1964 | Frank Ryan (1) | 25 | Cleveland Browns |
| 1965 | John Brodie (1) | 30 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1966 | Frank Ryan (2) | 29 | Cleveland Browns |
| 1967 | Sonny Jurgensen (2) | 31 | Washington Redskins |
| 1968 | Earl Morrall | 26 | Baltimore Colts |
| 1969 | Roman Gabriel (1) | 24 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1970 | John Brodie (2) | 24 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1971 | John Hadl | 21 | San Diego Chargers |
| 1972 | Billy Kilmer | 19 | Washington Redskins |
| Joe Namath | New York Jets |
| 1973 | Roman Gabriel (2) | 23 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| Roger Staubach | Dallas Cowboys |
| 1974 | Ken Stabler (1) | 26 | Oakland Raiders |
| 1975 | Fran Tarkenton | 25 | Minnesota Vikings |
| Joe Ferguson | Buffalo Bills |
| 1976 | Ken Stabler (2) | 27 | Oakland Raiders |
| 1977 | Bob Griese | 22 | Miami Dolphins |
| 1978 | Terry Bradshaw (1) | 28 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1979 | Steve Grogan | 28 | New England Patriots |
| Brian Sipe | Cleveland Browns |
| 1980 | Steve Bartkowski | 31 | Atlanta Falcons |
| 1981 | Dan Fouts (1) | 33 | San Diego Chargers |
| 1982 | Dan Fouts (2) | 17 | San Diego Chargers |
| Terry Bradshaw (2) | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Joe Montana (1) | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1983 | Lynn Dickey | 32 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1984 | Dan Marino (1) | 48\* | Miami Dolphins |
| 1985 | Dan Marino (2) | 30 | Miami Dolphins |
| 1986 | Dan Marino (3) | 44 | Miami Dolphins |
| 1987 | Joe Montana (2) | 31 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1988 | Jim Everett (1) | 31 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1989 | Jim Everett (2) | 29 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1990 | Warren Moon | 33 | Houston Oilers |
| 1991 | Jim Kelly | 33 | Buffalo Bills |
| 1992 | Steve Young (1) | 25 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1993 | Steve Young (2) | 29 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1994 | Steve Young (3) | 35 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1995 | Brett Favre (1) | 38 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1996 | Brett Favre (2) | 39 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1997 | Brett Favre (3) | 35 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1998 | Steve Young (4) | 36 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1999 | Kurt Warner (1) | 41 | St. Louis Rams |
| 2000 | Peyton Manning (1) | 33 | Indianapolis Colts |
| Daunte Culpepper | Minnesota Vikings |
| 2001 | Kurt Warner (2) | 36 | St. Louis Rams |
| 2002 | Tom Brady (1) | 28 | New England Patriots |
| 2003 | Brett Favre (4) | 32 | Green Bay Packers |
| 2004 | Peyton Manning (2) | 49\* | Indianapolis Colts |
| 2005 | Carson Palmer | 32 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 2006 | Peyton Manning (3) | 31 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 2007 | Tom Brady (2) | 50\* | New England Patriots |
| 2008 | Drew Brees (1) | 34 | New Orleans Saints |
| Philip Rivers | San Diego Chargers |
| 2009 | Drew Brees (2) | 34 | New Orleans Saints |
| 2010 | Tom Brady (3) | 36 | New England Patriots |
| 2011 | Drew Brees (3) | 46 | New Orleans Saints |
| 2012 | Drew Brees (4) | 43 | New Orleans Saints |
| 2013 | Peyton Manning (4) | 55\* | Denver Broncos |
| 2014 | Andrew Luck | 40 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 2015 | Tom Brady (4) | 36 | New England Patriots |
| 2016 | Aaron Rodgers (1) | 40 | Green Bay Packers |
| 2017 | Russell Wilson | 34 | Seattle Seahawks |
| 2018 | Patrick Mahomes | 50 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 2019 | Lamar Jackson | 36 | Baltimore Ravens |
| 2020 | Aaron Rodgers (2) | 48 | Green Bay Packers |
| 2021 | Tom Brady (5) | 43 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 2022 | Patrick Mahomes (2) | 41 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 2023 | Dak Prescott | 36 | Dallas Cowboys |

## Top 25 Single Season Passing Touchdown Seasons

*Updated through the 2022 season*| Rank | Player | Team | Season | TD | TD Pct. | Int. | Int. Pct. |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Peyton Manning (1/3) | Denver | 2013 | 55 | 8.3 | 10 | 1.5 |
| 2 | Tom Brady (1/4) | New England | 2007 | 50 | 8.7 | 8 | 1.4 |
| Patrick Mahomes (1/2) | Kansas City | 2018 | 8.6 | 12 | 2.1 |
| 4 | Peyton Manning (2/3) | Indianapolis | 2004 | 49 | 9.9 | 10 | 2.0 |
| 5 | Dan Marino (1/2) | Miami | 1984 | 48 | 8.5 | 17 | 3.0 |
| Aaron Rodgers (1/4) | Green Bay | 2020 | 9.1 | 5 | 1.0 |
| 7 | Drew Brees (1/3) | New Orleans | 2011 | 46 | 7.0 | 14 | 2.1 |
| 8 | Aaron Rodgers (2/4) | Green Bay | 2011 | 45 | 9.0 | 6 | 1.2 |
| 9 | Dan Marino (2/2) | Miami | 1986 | 44 | 7.1 | 23 | 3.7 |
| 10 | Drew Brees (2/3) | New Orleans | 2012 | 43 | 6.4 | 19 | 2.8 |
| Tom Brady (2/4) | Tampa Bay | 2021 | 6.0 | 12 | 1.7 |
| 12 | Kurt Warner | St. Louis Rams | 1999 | 41 | 8.2 | 13 | 2.6 |
| Matthew Stafford (1/2) | Detroit | 2011 | 6.2 | 16 | 2.4 |
| Matthew Stafford (2/2) | Los Angeles Rams | 2021 | 6.8 | 17 | 2.8 |
| Patrick Mahomes (2/2) | Kansas City Chiefs | 2022 | 6.3 | 12 | 1.9 |
| 16 | Andrew Luck (1/2) | Indianapolis | 2014 | 40 | 6.5 | 16 | 2.6 |
| Aaron Rodgers (3/4) | Green Bay | 2016 | 6.6 | 7 | 1.1 |
| Tom Brady (3/4) | Tampa Bay | 2020 | 6.6 | 12 | 2.0 |
| Russell Wilson | Seattle | 2020 | 7.2 | 13 | 2.3 |
| 20 | Brett Favre | Green Bay | 1996 | 39 | 7.2 | 13 | 2.4 |
| Daunte Culpepper | Minnesota | 2004 | 7.1 | 11 | 2.0 |
| Tom Brady (4/4) | New England | 2011 | 6.4 | 12 | 2.0 |
| Aaron Rodgers (4/4) | Green Bay | 2012 | 7.1 | 8 | 1.4 |
| Drew Brees (3/3) | New Orleans | 2013 | 6.0 | 12 | 1.8 |
| Peyton Manning (3/3) | Denver | 2014 | 6.5 | 15 | 2.5 |
| Andrew Luck (2/2) | Indianapolis | 2018 | 6.1 | 15 | 2.3 |
| Rank | Player | Team | Season | TD | TD Pct. | Int. | Int. Pct. |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |

## Other leagues

### All-America Football Conference (AAFC)

| Year | Player | TDs | Team |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1946 | Otto Graham (1) | 17 | Cleveland Browns |
| 1947 | Otto Graham (2) | 25 | Cleveland Browns |
| 1948 | Frankie Albert (1) | 29\* | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1949 | Frankie Albert (2) | 27 | San Francisco 49ers |

### American Football League (AFL)

| Year | Player | TDs | Team |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1960 | Al Dorow | 26 | New York Titans |
| 1961 | George Blanda | 36\* | Houston Oilers |
| 1962 | Len Dawson (1) | 29 | Dallas Texans |
| 1963 | Len Dawson (2) | 26 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 1964 | Babe Parilli | 31 | Boston Patriots |
| 1965 | Len Dawson (3) | 21 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 1966 | Len Dawson (4) | 26 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 1967 | Daryle Lamonica (1) | 30 | Oakland Raiders |
| 1968 | John Hadl | 27 | San Diego Chargers |
| 1969 | Daryle Lamonica (2) | 34 | Oakland Raiders |

## Most titles

| Titles | Player | Years | Team |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 5 | Tom Brady | 2002, 2007, 2010, 2015, 2021 | New England Patriots (4) / Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1) |
| 4 | Johnny Unitas | 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960 | Baltimore Colts |
| Len Dawson | 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966 | Kansas City Chiefs (AFL) |
| Steve Young | 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998 | San Francisco 49ers |
| Brett Favre | 1995, 1996, 1997, 2003 | Green Bay Packers |
| Drew Brees | 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 | New Orleans Saints |
| Peyton Manning | 2000, 2004, 2006, 2013 | Indianapolis Colts (3) / Denver Broncos (1) |
| 3 | Arnie Herber | 1932, 1934, 1936 | Green Bay Packers |
| Dan Marino | 1984, 1985, 1986 | Miami Dolphins |
| Sid Luckman | 1943, 1945, 1946 | Chicago Bears |
| Y.A. Tittle | 1955, 1962, 1963 | San Francisco 49ers (1) / New York Giants (2) |

Johnny Unitas is the only player to win four titles in a row. Three players (Steve Young, Dan Marino and Brett Favre) have won three in a row.

## Related pages

* List of National Football League career passing touchdowns leaders
* List of National Football League career passing yards leaders

* Pro-Football-Reference.com