Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is on the verge of etching his name alongside NFL legends as he faces the New York Giants. With a remarkable track record, including seven consecutive AFC Championship game appearances, Mahomes is setting the stage to surpass some of the league’s most iconic players.
Despite a less-than-ideal start to the season, Mahomes recently broke a significant record previously held by Dan Marino. In Week 1, he surpassed Marino’s record for the most touchdown passes thrown before turning 30—achieving an impressive 245 touchdowns. Mahomes celebrated his 30th birthday on September 17, setting the new benchmark at 247 touchdowns for future challengers.
Only One Touchdown Separated from Peyton Manning’s Record
Beginning the season, Mahomes needed just three touchdown passes to break Peyton Manning’s record for most touchdowns thrown in the first nine seasons of an NFL career. This statistic includes postseason achievements, where Mahomes has recorded an impressive 46 touchdown passes while guiding his team to three Super Bowl titles.
Notably, Manning’s remarkable achievement was accomplished even after his rookie season, while Mahomes entered the league with a single season of experience under his belt. After scoring one touchdown in each of his first two games against the Los Angeles Chargers and the Philadelphia Eagles, Mahomes is now tied with Manning at 293 career touchdown passes.
As the Chiefs prepare for their challenging matchup with the Giants, expectations are high that Mahomes will accomplish this milestone early in the game. With the absence of several key wide receivers, it’s reasonable to predict that his first touchdown will likely be to Travis Kelce, his most reliable target. The possibility of Xavier Worthy returning adds some intrigue, but it will be a game-time decision.
Travis Kelce Strives for His 100th Touchdown Reception
In a twist of fate, the opportunity for legendary tight end Travis Kelce to celebrate his 100th career touchdown reception alongside Mahomes surpassing Manning was interrupted by a crucial interception from Eagles rookie Andrew Mukuba. Before the start of the season, Kelce had accumulated 97 receiving touchdowns and added one more during the game against the Chargers.
Despite the setback against the Eagles, where timely defensive plays sealed the win for Philadelphia, Kelce now sits with 98 career touchdowns. He needs just two more receptions for a milestone that would position him among the elite tight ends in NFL history.
If Kelce reaches 100 career touchdowns, he will join an exclusive group: Antonio Gates (118), Tony Gonzalez (115), and Rob Gronkowski (107). For regular-season touchdowns alone, Kelce has a mountain to climb, needing 22 more to break into the 100 clubs, especially with speculation surrounding his potential retirement. For context, Gronkowski finished his career with 92 regular-season touchdowns.
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