Patrick Mahomes added another remarkable achievement to his career resume after guiding the Kansas City Chiefs to their first victory of the 2025 season, etching his name above one of the NFL’s most iconic quarterbacks, Peyton Manning.
It proved to be the highlight of a challenging night for the three-time Super Bowl champion, who faced heavy defensive pressure from the New York Giants throughout, completing 22 of 37 attempts for 224 yards and one touchdown.
His lone scoring pass came with just over eight minutes left in the third quarter, when he connected with his wide receiver, Tyquan Thornton, on a five-yard strike to seal the win for the team on September 21.
The moment was significant not only for the game but for league history: the touchdown was Mahomes’ 294th combined passing score in the regular season and postseason.
So in that 22-19 win over the Giants on Sunday, Mahomes officially broke the 49-year-old Manning’s long-standing record for the most total touchdown passes across a player’s first nine NFL seasons.
Manning, who threw 293 touchdowns in his first nine seasons with the Indianapolis Colts between 1998 and 2006, had stood atop the leaderboard until Mahomes’ latest milestone.
The Chiefs’ quarterback now owns the record outright, a testament to both his consistency and ability to produce in high-pressure situations.
“Patrick Mahomes has passed Peyton Manning (293) for the most TD passes in a player’s first 9 seasons, including the playoffs,” StatMuse confirmed following the contest.
Mahomes now turns his attention to a Week 4 clash with Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens, whilst Russell Wilson and the New York Giants take on the Los Angeles Chargers. Both games take place on September 28.
Most passing touchdowns in first nine seasons (regular season only): Where does Mahomes rank?
Wilson is also part of the record book, ranking third all-time with 292 touchdown passes in his first nine years; but on Sunday night, he struggled against KC’s defense, finishing with just 160 yards and two interceptions.
Despite Mahomes’ achievement, the regular season-only record still belongs to Manning as the Hall of Fame quarterback threw 275 touchdown passes in his first nine years, while Mahomes currently sits at 248, placing him fourth in that category.
It underscores just how prolific Manning was during his early tenure with Indianapolis, while also highlighting Mahomes’ dominance in the postseason, where he has consistently elevated his game.
Top 10: Most regular season passing touchdowns in first 9 NFL seasons
- Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts) – 275 TDs
- Russell Wilson (Seattle Seahawks) – 267 TDs
- Dan Marino (Miami Dolphins) – 266 TDs
- Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs) – 248 TDs
- Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) – 240 TDs
- Brett Favre (Falcons, Green Bay Packers) – 235 TDs
- Jared Goff (Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions) – 222 TDs
- Derek Carr (Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders) – 217 TDs
- Matthew Stafford (Lions) – 216 TDs
- Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys) – 213 TDs
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