Who Has Scored The Most Touchdowns In NFL History?
Contents
The answer to the question of who has scored the most touchdowns in NFL history may surprise you. Check out this blog post to find out who holds this record.
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith is a former American football player who played for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL) for fifteen seasons. Smith is the NFL’s all-time rushing leader, with 18,355 career rushing yards.
NFL career
Emmitt James Smith III (born May 15, 1969) is a former professional American football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for fifteen seasons. During his career, he became the NFL’s all-time leader in rushing yards and attempts, breaking the records formerly held by Walter Payton and Jim Brown, as well as the all-time leader in rushing touchdowns. He played fourteen seasons with the Dallas Cowboys (1990–2002), where he was a three-time Super Bowl champion and was named to eight Pro Bowl appearances. During his time with the Cowboys, Smith became one of four players to win both an NFL championship and a Super Bowl Championship, joining Chuck Noll, Bart Starr and Terry Bradshaw. He also holds second place all-time for most games won by an NFL player with 174.
In 1999 he was named co-MVP of the NFL along with fellow running back Terrell Owens. In 2000 he captured MVP honors for himself after leading the league in rushing for an unprecedented third consecutive year. Smith is also one of only two non-kickers ever to score more than 1,000 points in a career (the other being Jerry Rice). In his final season in 2002, Smith helped lead his team to victory in Super Bowl XXXVII despite nagging injuries that had sidelined him late in the regular season. As of 2019, Smith holds over 50 Cowboys franchise records.
Touchdowns
In American football, the touchdown (TD) is the most common type of score. A touchdown is scored when a live ball is advanced into, caught in, or recovered in the opposing team’s end zone in certain situations. A touchdown counts six points. The scoring team is also awarded the opportunity for an extra point or a two-point conversion. After a touchdown, it is customary for football teams to attempt a two-point conversion; that is, they line up at the two-yard line (1 yard to go for the touchdown, and 2 yards for a first down) and attempt either:
-to score another touchdown by running or passing from scrimmage; or
-to kick what would normally be a field goal from scrimmage (worth one point) from scrimmage.
Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice is the all-time leader in receiving touchdowns with 197. He played most of his 20-year career with the San Francisco 49ers, but also had stints with the Oakland Raiders and the Seattle Seahawks. Rice was a 12-time Pro Bowl selection, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.
NFL career
Jerry Lee Rice Sr. (born October 13, 1962) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the San Francisco 49ers. He is widely considered to be the greatest wide receiver in NFL history, and often called the greatest player in NFL history. He is now a sports analyst for NFL Network. Throughout his 20-year career, Rice amassed 22,895 receiving yards (No. 1 in NFL history) and 197 receiving touchdowns (No. 1 all time at the time of his retirement) with 1,549 receptions (No. 3 all time at the time of his retirement). He owns almost every significant receiving record, including most receptions in a season (102 in 1995), most receiving yards in a season (1,848 in 1995), most touchdowns in a season (22 in 1987), most consecutive games with a touchdown catch (36 from 1986 to 1989), Most touchdowns in a Super Bowl game (3 on January 20, 1991), and most Super Bowl appearances by any player ever (8). He was selected to 13 Pro Bowls, 10 times as a first-team All-Pro, and holds Super Bowl records for overall receptions (33) and receiving yards (583).
Touchdowns
Jerry Rice, who played wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks, holds the record for the most touchdowns in NFL history. He is also the league’s all-time leader in receiving yards and receptions.
LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tomlinson played 11 seasons in the NFL and is considered to be one of the greatest running backs of all time. He played for the San Diego Chargers and the New York Jets. In his career, he scored a total of 186 touchdowns, which is the most in NFL history.
NFL career
LaDainian Tomlinson played 11 seasons in the NFL. He was drafted fifth overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 2001 NFL Draft, and spent nine seasons with the Chargers from 2001 to 2009. Tomlinson became the Chargers’ starting running back in 2002, and set several franchise records. In his first season as a starter, he helped lead the Chargers to a 12–4 record and an AFC West divisional championship, earning him NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Tomlinson continued his success over his next six seasons with the Chargers, earning five trips to the Pro Bowl, as well as being named three times to the All-Pro team. During his time with San Diego, he amassed over 18,000 all-purpose yards and found paydirt 162 times total between rushing and receiving touchdowns.
In 2010, Tomlinson signed a two-year contract with the New York Jets. In his first and only season with New York he appeared in all 16 games, compiling 914 total yards (710 rushing) and 28 touchdowns (24 rushing), leading the league in scoring for a second time in his career. He became just one of seven players in NFL history to score at least 20 rushing touchdowns and four receiving touchdowns in a single season.
Tomlinson announced his retirement on June 3, 2012 after signing a one-day contract with San Diego. At the time of his retirement announcement he ranked fifth on the NFL’s all-time rushing list with 13,684 yards; behind only Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders and Curtis Martin. He remains one of only 28 players to rush for over 10,000 yards while averaging over 4.5 yards per carry during their careers (minimum 1,000 carries). He was inducted into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame class of 2017; becoming only one of 11 running backs ever inducted into both halls.
Touchdowns
LaDainian Tomlinson is widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs of all time. He currently holds the NFL record for most touchdowns in a career, with 158. He also holds the single-season record for most touchdowns, with 31 in 2006.
Randy Moss
Randy Moss is a former American football wide receiver who played for fifteen seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He holds the NFL single-season touchdown reception record (23, set in 2007), the NFL single-season touchdown reception record for a rookie (17, set in 1998), and is second on the NFL all-time regular season touchdown reception list with 156.
NFL career
Randy Moss is a former American football wide receiver who played for fifteen seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He holds the NFL single-season touchdown reception record (23 in 2007), the NFL single-season touchdown reception record for a rookie (17 in 1998), and is second on the NFL all-time regular season touchdown reception list with 156.
Moss played college football for Marshall University, and twice earned All-America honors. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft, where he played for seven years before a trade in 2005 brought him to the Oakland Raiders. On April 29, 2007, Moss was traded to the New England Patriots for a fourth-round draft pick. In his first season with the Patriots, he set an NFL record for touchdown receptions by a wide receiver with 23, and helped lead the Patriots to a perfect 16–0 regular season record.
On October 6, 2010, Moss returned to Minnesota in a trade that sent quarterback Jesse Aaronson and a sixth-round draft pick to New England. However, his time with the Vikings was short-lived; he was waived by Minnesota on November 1, 2010. He played out the rest of his season with Tennessee Titans, catching just three passes for 19 yards over eight games before being released by them on July 28, 2011. For his career moss appeared in 218 games catching 982 passes for 15 292 yards and 156 touchdowns.
Touchdowns
Moss holds the NFL record for the most touchdown receptions in a season, with 23 in 2007. He also holds the second-most total touchdown receptions in NFL history, with 156.
Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens is a retired American football player who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest wide receivers of all time. In his career, Owens caught 1,078 passes for 15,934 yards and 153 touchdowns. He also had a number of memorable moments, including scoring a touchdown in the Super Bowl.
NFL career
Terrell Owens is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens holds or shares several NFL records. His 15,934 career receiving yards rank second in NFL history and his 153 receiving touchdowns rank third. As of 2019, he is sixth in all-time career receptions with 1,078.
Owens was born in Alexander City, Alabama, and raised in nearby Huntsville. He played college football and basketball at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), and was selected in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. Owens was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2004 following a controversial season with the 49ers, where he clashed with head coach Steve Mariucci and publicly criticized quarterback Jeff Garcia. In his first season with Philadelphia, he led the team with 77 receptions for 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns as they reached Super Bowl XXXIX. The following season was even more successful; Owens caught a league-leading 95 passes for 1,451 yards and 16 touchdowns as he earned his fifth Pro Bowl selection and was named to The Associated Press (AP)’s All-Pro team for a third time.
After nine seasons in Philadelphia, Owens was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in 2006. He continued his success upon reaching Dallas; after debuting with an 80-yard touchdown reception on his first catch as a Cowboy against his former team, he became one of only three players to score a touchdown against all 32 NFL franchises (the others being Randy Moss and Jerry Rice). In 2007, he helped lead Dallas to their first NFC East division title since 1998–1999 when their regular season record concluded 13–3; ultimately they reached Super Bowl XLII but lost 21–17 to the underdog New York Giants – whom had previously beaten them twice during that regular season – on a last-second play coincidentally involving another former Eagle Plaxico Burress catching the game-winning touchdown pass from Eli Manning. The following year though matched their previous success as they again finished 13–3 before losing closely in another NFC Championship Game rematch against eventual Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers 27–31 where Owens had 2 touchdown catches on 6 total receptions for 77 yards in what would be his final playoff game played prior to injuries keeping him out for both postseasons afterwards throughout his remaining 3 years with Dallas from 2009–2012 until signing with Seattle Seahawks prior to training camp in 2013 but then being released before playing any regular season games there thus ending both his playing career abruptly as well as failing to play any more playoff games ever again during it leaving him ringless nor ever having won either an NFC Championship nor a Super Bowl despite coming close multiple times during it especially during its prime years from 2004–2012.
Touchdowns
In his 15-year NFL career, Terrell Owens caught 156 touchdown passes, the second most in NFL history. He also had nine touchdown catches in the postseason, including three in the Super Bowl.
