Aaron Rodgers has revealed that the upcoming NFL season is expected to be the final chapter of his career. The Pittsburgh Steelers star is set to retire after what would be his 22nd professional season, and he will likely aim to further strengthen his legacy by chasing more milestones and climbing past several NFL greats on the all-time record charts.
Despite already being regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks ever to play the game, Aaron Rodgers still finds himself trailing several retired NFL legends on the league’s all-time passing touchdown list.
Still, during what is likely to be his final season in 2026, the Steelers quarterback may have a chance to move past some of those names if he performs at his typical level and stays healthy across the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 17-game regular-season campaign.
The 42-year-old currently ranks fourth on the NFL’s all-time passing touchdown list with 527 touchdown passes across his 21-season career. He trails Tom Brady, who sits atop the list with 649 passing touchdowns, while Drew Brees holds second place with 571. Just ahead of Rodgers in third is Peyton Manning, who finished his career with 539 passing touchdowns.
NFL Legends within Aaron Rodgers’ reach on the All-Time TD List
The Steelers star can be expected to move past Peyton Manning easily for third place on the NFL’s all-time passing touchdowns list this season, as he needs only 13 more touchdown passes to surpass him.
Considering Rodgers has averaged roughly 1.5 passing touchdowns per game over the past two seasons, he could realistically reach the milestone around Week 10, shortly after the Pittsburgh Steelers return from their Week 9 bye.
Second place on the NFL’s all-time passing touchdowns list may be much tougher for Aaron Rodgers to reach. He would need 45 touchdown passes during the 2026 season to surpass Drew Brees. Rodgers has achieved that mark only twice in his career, throwing 48 touchdown passes during his MVP-winning 2020 season and 45 during his standout 2011 campaign.
Naturally, overtaking Tom Brady for the top spot on the NFL’s all-time passing touchdowns list appears to be an unrealistic challenge for Rodgers. As a result, Peyton Manning’s mark from his 18-season career will likely be surpassed by Aaron Rodgers, but the numbers posted by Tom Brady across his 23-season career from 2000 to 2022 may remain out of Rodgers’ reach.