Factoid
The number of quarterbacks throwing lots of touchdowns keeps rising. Every year, it seems, there are more quarterbacks having huge seasons.
Look at the numbers below. In the ‘80s, there were only 13 quarterbacks (in those 10 years) who threw 30 TDs in a season (and granted, I will concede that two of those seasons were shortened by strikes, making it harder).
In the ‘90s, there were only 17 quarterbacks finishing with 30-plus TDs. That was in 10 full seasons with each team playing 16 games.
But the number has really grown recently. In the last 10 years, there have been 24 of those seasons.
On the one hand, this only makes quarterbacks less valuable. Why use a first- or second-round pick on a position where there is plenty of talent? On the other, when you consider how many running backs get hurt or wash out, it sure is nice to grab a highly productive player who can be counted on to provide an edge at his position.
THE '80s -- 13 QUARTERBACKS
TD Year
31 1980 Steve Bartkowski, Falcons
30 1980 Brian Sipe, Browns
30 1980 Dan Fouts, Chargers
30 1980 Vince Ferragamo, Rams
33 1981 Dan Fouts, Chargers
30 1981 Steve Bartkowski, Falcons
32 1983 Lynn Dickey, Packers
48 1984 Dan Marino, Dolphins
32 1984 Dave Krieg, Seahawks
30 1985 Dan Marino, Dolphins
44 1986 Dan Marino, Dolphins
31 1987 Joe Montana, 49ers
31 1988 Jim Everett, Rams
THE '90s -- 17 QUARTERBACKS
TD Year
33 1990 Warren Moon, Oilers
30 1990 Randall Cunningham, Eagles
33 1991 Jim Kelly, Bills
35 1994 Steve Young, 49ers
33 1994 Brett Favre, Packers
30 1994 Dan Marino, Dolphins
38 1995 Brett Favre, Packers
33 1995 Warren Moon, Vikings
32 1995 Scott Mitchell, Lions
39 1996 Brett Favre, Packers
33 1996 Vinny Testaverde, Ravens
35 1997 Brett Favre, Packers
36 1998 Steve Young, 49ers
34 1998 Randall Cunningham, Vikings
31 1998 Brett Favre, Packers
41 1999 Kurt Warner, Rams
36 1999 Steve Beuerlein, Panthers
THE LAST DECADE -- 24 QUARTERBACKS
TD Year
33 2000 Daunte Culpepper, Vikings
33 2000 Peyton Manning, Colts
31 2000 Jeff Garcia, 49ers
37 2001 Kurt Warner, Rams
32 2001 Brett Favre, Packers
32 2001 Jeff Garcia, 49ers
32 2003 Brett Favre, Packers
49 2004 Peyton Manning, Colts
39 2004 Daunte Culpepper, Vikings
31 2004 Donovan McNabb, Eagles
30 2004 Brett Favre, Packers
32 2005 Carson Palmer, Bengals
31 2006 Peyton Manning, Colts
50 2007 Tom Brady, Patriots
36 2007 Tony Romo, Cowboys
32 2007 Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
31 2007 Peyton Manning, Colts
34 2008 Drew Brees, Saints
34 2008 Philip Rivers, Chargers
30 2008 Kurt Warner, Cardinals
34 2009 Drew Brees, Saints
33 2009 Brett Favre, Vikings
33 2009 Peyton Manning, Colts
30 2009 Aaron Rodgers, Packers
—Ian Allan
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Posted by Michael Rogers | Jul. 13 at 07:48 PM
In light of the July 13 factoid, I'm not so sure I agree with the title of this factoid. Once the increased number of QBs playing all 16 games is factored in (as well as the fact that there are several expansion teams that weren't around for at least half of the 90's), it doesn't seem like QBs are necessarily "getting better" than they used to be. They are just playing more games per season, there are more QBs playing, and defenses are watered down relative to defenses prior to expansion.
Posted by Michael Rogers | Jul. 13 at 08:08 PM
Sorry, I forgot to add that the rules the NFL has implemented over the past several years regarding contact with WRs have clearly improved the "30 TD" QB club too, as evidenced by the disproportionate number of 30+ TD QBs in the last 3 years of the 2000's. Of course, it could also be that the 2 most prolific passing QBs in NFL history happened to play during this time. Of the 41 times it's happened over the last 2 decades, 14 of them (more than a third) have been by either Brett Favre or Peyton Manning, who, coincidentally, both never ever miss a game. (As an aside, I still shake my head in bewilderment as I marvel at the blatant anomalies over the last 20 years...Scott Mitchell and Steve Beuerlein.)