![Players with the Most Touchdowns: Jerry Rice[L] and Emmitt Smith [R]](https://www.totalprosports.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Jerry-RiceL-and-Emmitt-Smith-R-1024x563.jpg)
NFL or Football is all about scoring touchdowns and keeping the opponent out of the end zone. From thrilling touchdown passes to explosive runs and even scoring off turnovers, the ways to get those six points are endless. One can also turn kicks and punts into touchdowns with a return.
Here’s a spotlight on the NFL’s touchdown kings—the players who’ve turned every possible scoring method into a highlight reel. These legends know how to light up the scoreboard and make their mark on the game with spectacular touchdowns in all sorts of ways.
Meet the NFL’s Top Five Touchdown Leaders
5) Terrell Owens, Wide Receiver, 156 TD
Drafted in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the 49ers from Chattanooga, Terrell Owens made history as one of only three receivers to surpass 15,000 receiving yards and 150 touchdown catches, finishing with 156. Standing 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, Owens combined the size and strength of a tight end with elite wide receiver skills. He led the league in touchdown catches three times, including a career-high 16 with the 49ers in 2001.
Owens played eight years with the 49ers, three with the Cowboys, two with the Eagles, one with the Bills (where he had his longest TD reception at 98 yards), and one final season with the Bengals in 2010. During his 15-year career, Owens, a six-time Pro Bowler and five-time First-Team All-Pro, led the league in touchdown catches, yards per catch, and receiving yards per game. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.
Also Read: Top 10 Heaviest NFL Players Of All Time
4) Randy Moss, Wide Receiver, 157 TD
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Drafted 21st overall by the Minnesota Vikings in 1998 from Marshall, Randy Moss dazzled with his touchdown catches. Moss led the NFL in touchdown catches five times during his 12-year career. He did this three times with the Vikings and twice with the Patriots. His stint with the Raiders yielded just 11 touchdowns.
Revolutionizing the tall, speedy wide receiver, Moss burst onto the scene with 17 touchdowns and 1,313 yards as a rookie. He surpassed 1,200 yards in each of his first six seasons. His standout years were 2003 with the Vikings (111 receptions, 1,632 yards, 17 touchdowns) and 2007 with the Patriots (98 receptions, 1,493 yards, 23 touchdowns).
Moss also played for the Titans and 49ers. Though he never scored a rushing touchdown, he did return one punt for a touchdown in his second year. With 156 career touchdown receptions, Moss ranks second all-time behind Jerry Rice. He entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.
3) LaDainian Tomlinson, Running Back, 162 TD
Tomlinson was selected fifth overall by the San Diego Chargers in 2001 and dazzled with impressive stats in his career. A TCU standout, Tomlinson played 11 seasons—nine with the Chargers and two with the New York Jets. He carried the ball only 75 times in his final year.
Tomlinson rushed for over 1,100 yards in San Diego eight times, missing only in his last season in 2009. He scored ten or more rushing touchdowns each year and added 15 receiving touchdowns. With 145 rushing touchdowns, he holds the second-most in NFL history.
His peak season came in 2006 when he won NFL MVP. He rushed for 1,815 yards, 28 touchdowns, and added three receiving touchdowns, setting a single-season record. He also had seasons with 18, 17, and 15 touchdown runs. In 2003, Tomlinson had 100 catches for 725 yards and four touchdowns—a remarkable feat for a running back. Additionally, he threw seven touchdown passes. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
Also Read: 10 Most Unlikely Super Bowl Winners Ever
2) Emmitt Smith, Running Back, 175 TD
On a star-studded Dallas Cowboys squad that won three Super Bowls in four years, Emmitt Smith was the key player in the 1990s. Drafted 17th overall by Dallas in 1990 from Florida, Smith led the league in rushing yards four times. He did so during the Cowboys’ championship runs in 1992, 1993, and 1995, with 1,713, 1,486, and 1,773 yards, respectively.
In 1995, Smith’s standout season, he scored 25 touchdowns, all rushing, and led the league with 2,148 yards from scrimmage. Despite scoring 10 touchdowns in his MVP 1993 season, he had fewer than usual. Smith broke Marcus Allen’s rushing touchdown record in 1998 and surpassed Walter Payton as the all-time leading rusher in 2002. His last 11 touchdowns came with the Arizona Cardinals in the final two seasons of his 15-year career. Smith also scored 21 touchdowns in 17 postseason games. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.
1) Jerry Rice, Wide Receiver, 208 TD
The 49ers picked him 16th overall in the 1985 NFL Draft from Mississippi Valley State. Rice spent 20 years with the Niners, Raiders, and Seahawks, amassing 208 touchdowns. He earned 13 Pro Bowl selections, 11 All-Pro honors (10 First Team), and three Super Bowl rings. His totals include 197 receiving touchdowns, 10 rushing touchdowns, and one fumble recovery.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010, Rice is hailed as the greatest NFL player ever. His touchdown record is nearly unbeatable, much like Lou Gehrig’s “Iron Man” record in baseball.
In his second season, 1986, Rice led the league with 1,570 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. The following year, he caught 22 touchdown passes. He led in receiving touchdowns six times and receiving yards six times.1995 at 33, Rice recorded 122 receptions, 1,848 yards, and 15 touchdowns. At 40, he had 92 catches for 1,211 yards and seven touchdowns with the Raiders. While NFL playoffs don’t count toward this record, Rice scored 22 times in 29 playoff games, adding to his legendary status.
Also Read: 5 NFL Players Who Became Super Bowl Legends…And 5 Who Went Down As A Failure
