Aaron Rodgers made franchise history Sunday against New England.  The 41-year-old Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback threw his 509th career touchdown pass at Gillette Stadium, officially moving past his former Green Bay Packers mentor Brett Favre into fourth place on the NFL’s all-time touchdown passing list.

The record-breaking moment came on a 12-yard strike to receiver DK Metcalf in the second quarter, capping a methodical 12-play, 90-yard drive that extended Pittsburgh’s early lead to 14-0. Rodgers, who had tied Favre’s mark of 508 touchdown passes just one week earlier against the Seattle Seahawks, needed just one more scoring toss to etch his name higher in the record books. The throw to Metcalf wasn’t spectacular by Rodgers’ standards, but it represented two decades of elite quarterback play finally getting its due recognition.

Rodgers Chases NFL’s Elite Passing Records

With 509 career touchdown passes now under his belt, Rodgers finds himself in exclusive company among the NFL’s greatest signal-callers. Only three quarterbacks in league history have thrown more scoring passes than the former Packers star. Peyton Manning sits in third place with 539 touchdown tosses, while Drew Brees holds the second spot with 571. Tom Brady remains the undisputed king of touchdown passes with an astronomical 649 career scores through the air.

Manning represents Rodgers’ most realistic target among the remaining three legends ahead of him on the list. The veteran quarterback would need to throw 31 more touchdown passes to surpass Manning’s total, a feat that’s certainly within reach if Rodgers maintains his current pace. His last season with 30 or more touchdown passes came during his 2021 MVP campaign with Green Bay, when he tossed 37 scoring strikes while leading the Packers to the NFC Championship Game.

Pittsburgh Offense Relies on Veteran Leadership

Pittsburgh’s season-opening victory featured four touchdown passes from Rogers,  showcasing the arm strength and field vision that helped him surpass Favre on the all-time list. The veteran’s pre-snap recognition and audible calls have already transformed an offense that struggled at times last season under different leadership.

Rodgers also made additional history during Sunday’s contest, surpassing Philip Rivers for sixth place in career passing yards with 63,448 regular-season yards. Rivers finished his Hall of Fame-worthy career with 63,440 passing yards, making this another milestone in what could be Rodgers’ final NFL season. The 21-year veteran signed a one-year contract with Pittsburgh after the New York Jets released him following the 2024 campaign, bringing his championship experience to a franchise hungry for another Super Bowl title.