Matthew Stafford is only two touchdown passes away from passing Philip Rivers for the No. 6 spot on the all-time passing touchdowns list. Stafford currently sits at 423 career touchdown passes. If he throws three touchdowns tonight against the 49ers, he will hit 426 and officially take over that No. 6 ranking. That’s a huge milestone for any QB.
The Philip Rivers Twist Nobody Saw Coming
What’s wild about this chase is how close Stafford already was. Rivers, who has 425 career touchdowns, actually came out of retirement last year, throwing four more touchdown passes in 2025 with the Colts. Without that surprise return, Stafford would have already left Rivers in his rearview mirror. Rivers threw 397 touchdowns in 16 years with the Chargers before adding 24 in 2020 and those last four in 2025 with the Colts. Stafford’s path to 423 TDs includes 282 scores over 12 seasons with the Lions and then another 141 in five years with the Rams. He just keeps racking them up.
Chasing the Legends of the Game
Stafford already passed Dan Marino for the No. 7 spot late last season, which is no small feat. Think about that: he’s climbing past legends. The top five names on that list are a who’s who of football royalty: Tom Brady leads with an insane 649, followed by Drew Brees at 571, Peyton Manning with 539, Aaron Rodgers at 527, and Brett Favre with 508. Stafford is about to put his name right there with them in the top echelon of signal-callers.
Tonight, Stafford has the chance to make history. Keep an eye on that Thursday night game against the 49ers. Can he get those three scores and officially lock in that No. 6 spot? It’s going to be a battle, but a historic one for sure!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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