What happened: Joe Burrow leads the NFL with 23 passing touchdowns in 2026 through eight games, holding a three-score advantage over Kirk Cousins. Jordan Love ranks third with 19 touchdown passes, while Drake Maye and Trevor Lawrence sit tied for fourth with 18 each.
Why it matters: Burrow previously took the NFL pass touchdown lead with 20 before widening the margin over his eighth start. Cousins has maintained his second-place standing with 20 touchdowns through nine games as midseason races tighten across both conferences.
By the numbers: Burrow: 219/296 (74.0%), 2,386 pass yds, 23 TD, 6 INT in 8 games. Cousins: 202/315 (64.1%), 2,340 pass yds, 20 TD, 8 INT in 9 games. Love: 215/341 (63.0%), 2,618 pass yds, 19 TD, 6 INT in 9 games. Maye: 178/272 (65.4%), 2,282 pass yds, 18 TD, 11 INT in 9 games.
What to watch: Burrow and Cousins look to preserve their positions at the top of the league leaderboard heading into the second half of the 2026 regular season.