It was hard to imagine just a few years ago that Sam Darnold would be the first quarterback from the heralded 2018 draft class to win a Super Bowl ring as a starter. While he first reached the big stage as a backup to Brock Purdy with the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII, his path to the top has been the most unexpected of the group.
The 2018 class is already being discussed as an all-time great, featuring the likes of Baker Mayfield, MVP Josh Allen, and two-time MVP Lamar Jackson. Yet, despite their collective talent, they’ve spent their careers being outshone by a player who entered the league just one year prior. Patrick Mahomes technically began his reign at the same time as the 2018 class, having spent his rookie year learning behind Alex Smith, and since then, the standard for quarterback play has been completely redefined.
The 50-TD Standard: Mahomes vs. The Field for Single-Game Dominance
In his very first season as a starter, Mahomes didn’t just meet expectations, he shattered them. He delivered one of the most statistically dominant campaigns in NFL history, winning the MVP while joining the ultra-exclusive “50-TD Club” alongside legends Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. He also eclipsed the 5,000-yard mark, a feat only 11 players had achieved at the time.
A massive part of that historic 2018 run was his ability to put up “video game” numbers on any given Sunday. Mahomes recorded two games with six passing touchdowns that year alone, setting the stage for him to lead all active players in career games with five or more passing touchdowns.
However, Mahomes isn’t alone at the top of the active mountain. Lamar Jackson has matched him with six career games of 5+ passing touchdowns. What makes Jackson’s feat even more staggering is that he hasn’t thrown a single interception in any of those high-volume scoring games, a level of efficiency that is nearly unprecedented.
While the young guns dominate the top spots, the “old guard” is right on their heels. Veterans Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, and Matthew Stafford all sit tied for third among active players with five such games apiece.
Chasing the All-Time Legends: Where the Current Stars Stand in History
While Mahomes and Jackson are the gold standard for the modern era, they still have some work to do if they want to catch the true titans of the record books. In the grand history of the NFL, the active leaders are currently looking up at three names that defined passing excellence for two decades.
Drew Brees remains the undisputed king of the 5-touchdown game, having achieved the feat 11 times in his illustrious career. He is followed closely by the duo of Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, who each recorded nine such games.
For the reader looking for value in these numbers, it’s clear we are witnessing a transition of power. With Mahomes and Jackson both sitting at six games while still in their primes, the 11-game record held by Brees is officially on notice. The fact that the active top five (Mahomes, Jackson, Wilson, Rodgers, and Stafford) all have at least five games shows just how much the league has shifted toward a high-octane, pass-first identity.
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