Matthew Stafford added another major milestone to his already decorated NFL career on Monday, throwing three touchdown passes to move into sixth place on the league’s all-time passing-touchdown rankings.
The Los Angeles Rams quarterback reached 426 career touchdown passes when Davante Adams caught the record-setting score, pushing Stafford ahead of Philip Rivers. At 38, the reigning AP NFL MVP now sits behind only five quarterbacks in NFL history.
Stafford joins exclusive company
Stafford’s 426 touchdown throws rank behind Tom Brady’s 649, Drew Brees’ 571, Peyton Manning’s 539, Aaron Rodgers’ 528 and Brett Favre’s 508.
| Rank | Quarterback | Career touchdown passes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tom Brady | 649 |
| 2 | Drew Brees | 571 |
| 3 | Peyton Manning | 539 |
| 4 | Aaron Rodgers | 528 |
| 5 | Brett Favre | 508 |
| 6 | Matthew Stafford | 426 |
The performance also answered an unusual opening-week result for Stafford. He failed to throw a touchdown in the Rams’ season-opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers, despite leading the NFL with 46 touchdown passes last season. He did not have a touchdown-free game during the 2025 campaign.
Another Rams record within reach
Stafford’s first two touchdown passes Monday went to Adams and running back Kyren Williams. His 10-yard scoring pass to Williams was Stafford’s 143rd touchdown throw as a Ram, moving him past Jim Everett for second place in franchise history.
In six seasons with Los Angeles, Stafford trails only Roman Gabriel, who holds the Rams record with 154 touchdown passes. Stafford has already made substantial progress toward that mark while continuing his rise on the NFL’s broader career list.
Reaching Favre’s total, or becoming the sixth quarterback with at least 500 touchdown passes, would require Stafford to continue playing after the 2026 season. For now, his latest three-touchdown outing has strengthened another chapter in his case for eventual Hall of Fame recognition in Canton.
