History Maker

Denver Broncos quarterback, Peyton Manning, has broken Tom Brady's NFL record for most touchdown passes in a season with 51.... more

by Brian Harig

Title

History Maker

Artist

Brian Harig

Medium

Photograph - Photographs - Photography - Photograph

Description

Denver Broncos quarterback, Peyton Manning, has broken Tom Brady's NFL record for most touchdown passes in a season with 51.

Manning did it on a 25-yard pass to Julius Thomas with 4:28 remaining in the game on Sunday December 22, 2013 against the Texans. Just 2 1-2 minutes earlier, he tied the mark with a 20-yard pass to Eric Decker.

"I really feel like it's a team accomplishment, certainly an offensive accomplishment," Manning said. "There's a lot of people that played roles in this."

Manning made the throw to Thomas and walked toward the end zone, where his teammates patted him on the head. He then took off his helmet and walked to the sideline and pumped his fist once. His teammates came out to greet him and he gave dozens of high-fives as he grinned and walked to the bench.

Decker picked up the ball after Thomas dropped it and tucked it in the side of his jersey, where it remained as he walked off the field.

Manning entered the game with 47 TDs and his first touchdown came on a 36-yard pass to Demaryius Thomas in the second quarter. The second one was a 10-yard throw to Decker early in the fourth period.

Brady set the record, which previously belonged to Manning, in 2007. Manning had established the record by throwing 49 touchdown passes in 2004.

Surrounded by the best targets he's ever had, operating a turbocharged assault with a body that's much less a question mark, Manning is putting up record numbers like he did in that remarkable 2004 season.

That year, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and Brandon Stokley all topped 1,000 yards receiving. Manning established NFL records with 49 touchdown throws and a 121.1 passer rating, marks since surpassed by Brady and Aaron Rodgers (122.5).

Uploaded

December 24th, 2013