Look, if you’re sitting at a bar arguing about the greatest to ever do it, you’re probably looking at the nfl all time touchdown leaders list as your holy grail. But here's the thing. That list is basically two different universes. You have the guys who throw the ball, and then you have the guys who actually cross the goal line themselves.
The numbers are honestly staggering. When we talk about "touchdowns," most fans immediately think of Tom Brady. And rightfully so. The guy has a stat sheet that looks like it was generated by a kid playing Madden on "rookie" mode. But if you strip away the passing yards and look at who put the six points on the board with their own two feet or hands, the names change completely.
The Quarterback Stratosphere
It's kinda wild how much the modern game has inflated these passing numbers. If you look at the all-time passing touchdown leaderboard, it’s a "who's who" of longevity.
Tom Brady sits at the top with 649 career passing touchdowns.
Basically, he's in a league of his own.
Then you’ve got Drew Brees at 571 and Peyton Manning at 539.
But wait. If we’re talking total touchdowns responsible for (passing plus rushing), the gap widens. Brady didn't just throw; he was the king of the one-yard QB sneak. He finished his career with 677 total touchdowns. To put that in perspective, that’s 106 more than Peyton Manning. That isn't just a lead; it’s an entire career's worth of production ahead of third place.
The Top 5 Passing Kings (Regular Season)
- Tom Brady: 649
- Drew Brees: 571
- Peyton Manning: 539
- Aaron Rodgers: 527 (and counting, remarkably)
- Brett Favre: 508
Aaron Rodgers is the fascinating one here. As of early 2026, he’s still chucking it. He’s passed the 525 mark and honestly looks like he could catch Manning if his arm holds up for another season. But catch Brady? No shot. Nobody is catching 649.
The Real Goal Line Monsters
Let’s get into the "Non-QB" leaders. These are the players who the nfl all time touchdown leaders keyword is truly built for in the minds of traditionalists. When you don't have the benefit of a "passing touchdown" padding your stats, every score is a grind.
Jerry Rice is the name.
He’s the GOAT for a reason.
208 total touchdowns.
Think about that for a second. Rice played wide receiver and scored 208 times. He has more touchdowns than most Hall of Fame quarterbacks have wins. Most of those (197) were through the air, but he actually chipped in 10 rushing touchdowns too. He was basically a cheat code for the San Francisco 49ers for two decades.
Then you have Emmitt Smith.
The engine of the 90s Cowboys.
175 total touchdowns.
Emmitt was the ultimate volume king. He didn't just have the most rushing yards; he had 164 rushing touchdowns, which is a record that might be even harder to break than Brady's passing mark. In today’s NFL, where teams swap out running backs like they’re changing socks, seeing a guy score 164 times on the ground feels like a fever dream.
The Scoring Machines (Non-QBs)
- Jerry Rice: 208 (The untouchable ceiling)
- Emmitt Smith: 175 (The rushing gold standard)
- LaDainian Tomlinson: 162 (The 2006 season alone was 31 TDs!)
- Randy Moss: 156 (Straight cash, homey)
- Terrell Owens: 156 (The ultimate "love him or hate him" producer)
Why the Rankings Sorta Lie
Stats are great, but they lack context. For instance, Jim Brown is 11th on the non-QB list with 126 touchdowns. That sounds "low" compared to Rice, right?
Wrong.
Brown did that in only 118 games.
Jerry Rice played 303 games.
If Jim Brown had played as long as modern players, we’d be talking about a number that starts with a 3. The same goes for Don Hutson, who played back when the leather helmet was still a thing. He scored 105 touchdowns in an era where teams barely threw the ball three times a game.
Also, we have to talk about LaDainian Tomlinson. LT is third on the non-QB list with 162. But people forget his 2006 season with the Chargers. He scored 31 touchdowns in a single year. To put that in perspective, there are current NFL starters who won't hit 31 touchdowns in their entire five-year career.
The Active Threats
Who’s actually moving up the boards right now?
Derrick Henry is the one to watch.
He’s currently sitting around 127 total touchdowns.
The "King" has a real shot at passing Marcus Allen (144) and maybe even pushing into the top five if he keeps up this late-career surge. It’s rare to see a running back get better in his 30s, but Henry isn't exactly a normal human being.
On the receiving side, Davante Adams and Mike Evans are the only ones within shouting distance of the legends. Evans, specifically, has been a touchdown machine in Tampa. He’s already crossed the 100-TD threshold, which puts him in elite territory. He won't catch Rice—nobody will—but he’s securing a first-ballot Hall of Fame jacket with every score.
Rising Stars and Modern Context
- Patrick Mahomes: He’s at 267 passing TDs already. At his current pace, he hits 500 by the time he’s 35.
- Josh Allen: He’s the dual-threat monster. 220 passing, but nearly 60 rushing. His total TD count is rising faster than almost anyone in history.
- Christian McCaffrey: If he stays healthy (big if), he’s a threat to the top 20. He’s already near 100 total scores.
The "Josh Allen" Effect
We have to mention how the nfl all time touchdown leaders list is being reshaped by mobile quarterbacks. Back in the day, a QB scoring a rushing touchdown was a fluke. Now? It’s a requirement.
Josh Allen has 81 rushing/receiving touchdowns (mostly rushing) as of this year. That’s more than many legendary running backs. When you combine his 220 passing scores, he’s already at 301 total touchdowns. He’s only been in the league since 2018. If he plays 15 years, he might actually give Brady a run for his money on the "Total TDs Responsible For" list.
What This Means for Your Fantasy Draft (And History)
Honestly, looking at these leaders tells you everything you need to know about where the game is going. We are moving away from the "specialist" and toward the "producer."
The days of a running back like Emmitt Smith carrying the ball 400 times a year are over. This means his 175 touchdowns are likely safe forever. Conversely, passing records are like sandcastles; the tide of the "pass-happy" NFL is slowly washing them away.
If you're looking to track these records, don't just look at the total number. Look at "Touchdowns per Game." That's where you find the true ghosts of the game like Jim Brown and Gale Sayers, who didn't need 20 years to prove they were the best.
💡 You might also like: Why Sports Shoes for Running Men Usually Fail Your Feet
Next Steps for the Football Obsessed:
Check out the current season’s red zone efficiency stats to see who the next "King of the End Zone" might be. You should also compare the "Touchdowns per Target" for guys like Justin Jefferson vs. Jerry Rice at the same point in their careers; the results might actually shock you. If you're building a historical "Mount Rushmore" of scorers, make sure you differentiate between passing and "points scored" or you'll end up with a list that's just 10 quarterbacks and a very lonely Jerry Rice.