537.← Previous revisionRevision as of 22:46, 11 October 2026 Line 6: Line 6: In [[American football]], [[Forward pass#American and Canadian football|passing]], along with [[Rush (gridiron football)|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 [[American football positions#Offense|offensive player]] can throw one, provided they are behind the [[line of scrimmage]].{{Cite web |title=Beginner's Guide to Football |url=http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/beginnersguidetofootball |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110216225503/http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/beginnersguidetofootball |archive-date=February 16, 2011 |access-date=September 30, 2012 |website=[[National Football League]]}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Brinson |first=Will |date=December 31, 2013 |title=NFL, Elias reviewing Peyton Manning passing record: lateral or pass? |url=http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24393148/nfl-elias-reviewing-peyton-manning-passing-record |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102180834/http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24393148/nfl-elias-reviewing-peyton-manning-passing-record |archive-date=January 2, 2014 |access-date=January 7, 2014 |website=[[CBS Sports]]}} 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.{{Cite web |title=2022 NFL Rulebook |url=https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules/2022-nfl-rulebook/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423004618/https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules/2022-nfl-rulebook/ |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |access-date=July 11, 2023 |website=operations.nfl.com |page=Rule 11 Section 2 & Rule 3 Section 39 |no-pp=y}} 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.{{Cite web |last=NFL Communications |date=2022 |title=2022 NFL Fact and Record Book |url=https://operations.nfl.com/media/6101/2022-record-and-fact-book.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220721202004/https://operations.nfl.com/media/6101/2022-record-and-fact-book.pdf |archive-date=July 21, 2022 |access-date=July 11, 2023 |website=[[National Football League]] |page=550}} 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.{{Cite web |title=NFL will include stats from 1946-49 All-America Football Conference in official records |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/nfl-will-include-stats-from-1946-49-all-america-football-conference-in-official-records |access-date=May 8, 2025 |website=NBC Sports Pro Football Talk |date=April 2025 }} In [[American football]], [[Forward pass#American and Canadian football|passing]], along with [[Rush (gridiron football)|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 [[American football positions#Offense|offensive player]] can throw one, provided they are behind the [[line of scrimmage]].{{Cite web |title=Beginner's Guide to Football |url=http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/beginnersguidetofootball |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110216225503/http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/beginnersguidetofootball |archive-date=February 16, 2011 |access-date=September 30, 2012 |website=[[National Football League]]}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Brinson |first=Will |date=December 31, 2013 |title=NFL, Elias reviewing Peyton Manning passing record: lateral or pass? |url=http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24393148/nfl-elias-reviewing-peyton-manning-passing-record |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102180834/http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24393148/nfl-elias-reviewing-peyton-manning-passing-record |archive-date=January 2, 2014 |access-date=January 7, 2014 |website=[[CBS Sports]]}} 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.{{Cite web |title=2022 NFL Rulebook |url=https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules/2022-nfl-rulebook/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423004618/https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules/2022-nfl-rulebook/ |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |access-date=July 11, 2023 |website=operations.nfl.com |page=Rule 11 Section 2 & Rule 3 Section 39 |no-pp=y}} 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.{{Cite web |last=NFL Communications |date=2022 |title=2022 NFL Fact and Record Book |url=https://operations.nfl.com/media/6101/2022-record-and-fact-book.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220721202004/https://operations.nfl.com/media/6101/2022-record-and-fact-book.pdf |archive-date=July 21, 2022 |access-date=July 11, 2023 |website=[[National Football League]] |page=550}} 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.{{Cite web |title=NFL will include stats from 1946-49 All-America Football Conference in official records |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/nfl-will-include-stats-from-1946-49-all-america-football-conference-in-official-records |access-date=May 8, 2025 |website=NBC Sports Pro Football Talk |date=April 2025 }} [[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 [[Playoffs|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.{{Cite news |last1=Aisch |first1=Gregor |last2=Quealy |first2=Kevin |date=2014-10-19 |title=Why Peyton Manning's Record Will Be Hard to Beat |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/10/19/upshot/peyton-manning-breaks-touchdown-passing-record.html |access-date=August 20, 2023 |work=[[The New York Times]] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=February 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208053502/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/10/19/upshot/peyton-manning-breaks-touchdown-passing-record.html |url-status=live }} [[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 537 career passing touchdowns. Brady is also the record holder for the most career [[Playoffs|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.{{Cite news |last1=Aisch |first1=Gregor |last2=Quealy |first2=Kevin |date=2014-10-19 |title=Why Peyton Manning's Record Will Be Hard to Beat |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/10/19/upshot/peyton-manning-breaks-touchdown-passing-record.html |access-date=August 20, 2023 |work=[[The New York Times]] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=February 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208053502/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/10/19/upshot/peyton-manning-breaks-touchdown-passing-record.html |url-status=live }} ==Regular season career passing touchdowns leaders== ==Regular season career passing touchdowns leaders==