How Bengals QB Joe Burrow's Hot 7-Game Start Ranks Against Best QB Seasons in NFL History

Joe Burrow’s 20 passing touchdowns are the most through seven games in Cincinnati Bengals history, and they are the sixth most in NFL annals.

The 20 TDs put Burrow on pace to surpass the 50-touchdown milestone he called “doable” back in May.

Burrow already owns the top three touchdown totals in franchise history, with 43 in 2024, 35 in 2022 and 34 in 2021. And he has the top three passing yards marks with 4,918 in 2024, 4,611 in 2021 and 4,475 in 2022.

At his current pace, Burrow would finish with 53 touchdowns and 5,136 passing yards to shatter his franchise records.

Bengals' Burrow on Pace for 4th 50-TD Season in NFL History

Nov 1, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) throws in the first half against the Tennessee Titans at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The pace for 53 touchdowns puts him in the conversation for breaking Peyton Manning’s NFL record of 55 in 2013, although Manning was on an even more scorching pace through seven games that season than Burrow is this year.

In leading the Broncos to a 6-1 record in 2013, Manning threw 25 touchdowns with just three interceptions.

Burrow has six picks offsetting his 20 TDs.

Some other key seven-game numbers for Manning in that Super Bowl season (with Burrow’s current numbers).

2,565 yards (2,115)

8.9 yards per attempt (7.9)

71.6 completion percentage (73.0)

9 sacks (13)

There are two other 50-touchdown seasons in NFL history, with Tom Brady (2007) and Patrick Mahomes (2018) hitting the number on the nose.

And it's worth noting that all three previous 50-TD seasons were accomplished in 16 games, whereas Burrow will have a chance to play 17.

Here is where their numbers stood through the first seven games of their 50-touchdown seasons.

Brady, 2007

27 TDS (most in NFL history)

2 INTs

2,125 yards

9.3 YPA

73.8 completion percentage

7 sacks

7-0 record

Mahomes, 2018

22 TDs

5 INTs

2,223 yards

8.9 YPA

64.9 completion percentage

8 sacks

6-1 record

The previous Bengals record for most touchdown passes through the first seven games was 17, set by Boomer Esiason in 1988 and tied by Burrow in 2021. Both led to Super Bowl appearances.

There have been four other seasons with 15 TD passes through seven games – Jeff Blake (1995), Andy Dalton (2015), Dalton (2018) and Burrow (2022).

Burrow has 13 touchdowns in his last three games, throwing for four each against the Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens before tossing five in Sunday's 43-36 overtime win against the Tennessee Titans.

His three consecutive games with at least four touchdown passes also is a franchise record. No other player in Bengals history has ever thrown four touchdowns in back-to-back games.

Burrow had back-to-back four-TD games in 2021 (four vs. Ravens and four vs. Chiefs in Weeks 16-17) and 2024 (five vs. Raiders and four at Ravens in Weeks 9-10).

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