Tom Brady of the New England Patriots set the National Football League record for most seasons with 20 touchdown passes on Sunday. Brady now has 17 seasons with at least 20 touchdown passes after throwing a record-breaking 23-yard touchdown pass to running back James White at 3:16 of the first quarter in a 34-13 Patriots win over the lowly Cincinnati Bengals.
Brady broke the record that was previously set by Peyton Manning, who had 16 seasons with a minimum of 20 touchdown passes. Manning had 13 NFL seasons of 20+ touchdowns with the Indianapolis Colts from 1998-2010 and then three NFL seasons of 20+ touchdowns with the Denver Broncos from 2012-2014.
Brady’s first season with 20 or more touchdown passes came in 2002 when he had 28 touchdown passes to lead the NFL. Interestingly, he had one more touchdown pass that season than Manning.
In 2007, Brady had a career-high 50 touchdown passes, which also led the NFL. In two other seasons, Brady led the NFL in touchdown passes as he had 36 touchdowns in 2010 and 36 touchdowns again in 2015.
Only one season since 2002 has Brady not thrown 20 touchdown passes. That came in 2008 when Brady tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the Patriots season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs and was out for the remainder of the season.
In all, Brady has 538 touchdown passes. Manning leads with 539 touchdown passes. However, it should be noted that Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints is also in this conversation, as he is third all-time with 537 touchdown passes.
The Patriots, with Brady, are once again in first place in the AFC East. However, they are being challenged at the moment for the division title. New England, with a record of 11 wins and three losses, is only one game up on the Buffalo Bills, who are at 10 wins and four losses. Last year the Patriots did not win the AFC East was 2008 when they were beaten by the Miami Dolphins. That was also the year Brady was not quarterbacking New England.
