Dallas Cowboys All-Time Passing Touchdown Leaders

Most Passing Touchdowns by a Dallas Cowboy

Dallas Cowboys all-time passing touchdown leaders graphic

Dallas Cowboys All-Time Passing Touchdown Leaders is still led by Tony Romo, but Dak Prescott is right behind him. That makes this one of the most interesting Cowboys stat leaderboards because the record could change soon. Romo owns the franchise touchdown pass record with 248, while Prescott sits second with 243 and is still active.

The top of this list also shows how rich Dallas quarterback history is. Troy Aikman has the Super Bowl dynasty résumé. Roger Staubach has the clutch championship legacy. Danny White has one of the more underrated passing careers in franchise history. Don Meredith, Craig Morton, Eddie LeBaron, Drew Bledsoe and Quincy Carter all represent different chapters of Cowboys quarterback history.

This ranking uses regular-season passing touchdowns with the Dallas Cowboys only. It does not include playoff touchdowns, preseason stats or passing touchdowns from other NFL teams. That means every number here is focused strictly on what each quarterback produced while wearing a Cowboys uniform.

For the bigger quarterback debate beyond touchdowns, check out our best Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks of all-time ranking. This list is more specific: it is about who threw the most touchdown passes in Cowboys regular-season history.

How We Ranked the Most Passing TDs in Dallas Cowboys History

This ranking is based on regular-season passing touchdowns with the Dallas Cowboys only. Playoff touchdowns do not count here. If a quarterback threw touchdown passes for another NFL team, those touchdowns are not included in this Cowboys-only ranking.

The main factors are passing touchdowns, passing yards, longevity, role in the offense, era context, efficiency and how strongly each quarterback shaped Dallas’ passing identity. Tony Romo leads because he owns the franchise record with 248 touchdown passes. Dak Prescott is second with 243 and still has time to move into first.

This is a stat-based leaderboard first, but the write-ups also explain why each player mattered. Passing touchdowns tell us who finished drives through the air. Franchise context tells us why those touchdown passes mattered.

Why This Cowboys Passing TD Ranking Is Different

This is not simply a “best Cowboys quarterbacks” ranking. If it were, Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach would have stronger arguments near the top because of their Super Bowl résumés. This list is specifically about passing touchdowns.

That distinction matters. Tony Romo and Dak Prescott played in more modern passing eras, where quarterbacks throw more often and offenses are built around the passing game. Staubach, Meredith and LeBaron played in much lower-volume eras, where touchdown totals were harder to build.

Era context also matters for Aikman. He played in a balanced dynasty offense built around Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, the offensive line and defense. Aikman’s touchdown total is lower than Romo and Prescott, but his championship legacy is much bigger. That is what makes this leaderboard useful: it shows passing production, while the context explains the bigger Cowboys story.

10. Quincy Carter

Cowboys Stats & Accolades: 2001–2003 with Dallas, 29 passing touchdowns, 5,839 passing yards, 507 completions, 36 interceptions.

Quincy Carter takes the No. 10 spot on the Cowboys passing touchdown list with 29 touchdown passes. His Dallas career came during a difficult transition period after Troy Aikman’s retirement, when the franchise was searching for long-term quarterback stability.

Carter’s best Cowboys season came in 2003 under Bill Parcells. Dallas made the playoffs that year, and Carter gave the offense enough production to help the team get back into the postseason picture.

He did not become the long-term answer, but his 29 passing touchdowns are enough to keep him inside the Cowboys top 10. That final spot matters because he edges Steve Pelluer, who finished just behind him with 28 passing touchdowns.

9. Drew Bledsoe

Cowboys Stats & Accolades: 2005–2006 with Dallas, 30 passing touchdowns, 4,803 passing yards, 390 completions, 25 interceptions.

Drew Bledsoe ranks ninth despite playing only two seasons with the Cowboys. He arrived as a veteran quarterback under Bill Parcells and gave Dallas a short-term bridge before the Tony Romo era began.

Bledsoe still had arm strength and experience, and he threw 30 touchdown passes during his Dallas run. His best moments showed why he had been a longtime NFL starter, even if the offense eventually needed more mobility and playmaking.

His Cowboys chapter is remembered mostly because Romo replaced him in 2006. That change became one of the most important quarterback transitions in modern Dallas history. Still, Bledsoe’s 30 touchdown passes keep him in the franchise top 10.

8. Eddie LeBaron

Cowboys Stats & Accolades: 1960–1963 with Dallas, 45 passing touchdowns, 5,331 passing yards, 359 completions, 53 interceptions.

Eddie LeBaron ranks eighth in Cowboys passing touchdowns with 45. He was the first quarterback in Dallas Cowboys history, which gives him a unique place in the franchise record book.

LeBaron played during the earliest Cowboys years, when Dallas was still building from scratch. The roster was young, the franchise was new, and wins were difficult to find.

His touchdown total looks small by modern standards, but context matters. LeBaron played in a lower-volume passing era and helped establish the position before the Cowboys became a national power. He was part of the foundation before Meredith, Staubach, Aikman, Romo and Prescott came along.

7. Craig Morton

Cowboys Stats & Accolades: 1965–1974 with Dallas, 80 passing touchdowns, 10,279 passing yards, 685 completions, 73 interceptions.

Craig Morton ranks seventh in Cowboys passing touchdowns with 80. He played during a major transition period between Don Meredith and Roger Staubach.

Morton helped lead Dallas to Super Bowl V, though the Cowboys lost that game to the Baltimore Colts. His career later included another major chapter with the Denver Broncos, but this ranking only counts his Cowboys production.

Morton was not the final quarterback answer in Dallas, but he played an important role in the franchise’s rise. His 80 touchdown passes remain a clear top-10 mark in team history.

6. Don Meredith

Cowboys Stats & Accolades: 1960–1968 with Dallas, 135 passing touchdowns, 17,199 passing yards, 1,170 completions, 111 interceptions.

Don Meredith was the first true franchise quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. Before Staubach, Aikman, Romo and Prescott, Meredith gave the young franchise personality, toughness and credibility.

His 135 touchdown passes rank sixth in Cowboys history. That is impressive because he played in a much different passing era, when quarterbacks did not throw as often and defensive backs had more freedom to be physical.

Meredith helped Dallas move from expansion struggles toward real contention under Tom Landry. He later became famous as a broadcaster, but his playing career deserves serious respect. He was one of the first major faces of the Cowboys.

5. Roger Staubach

Cowboys Stats & Accolades: 1969–1979 with Dallas, 153 passing touchdowns, 22,700 passing yards, 1,685 completions, 2 Super Bowl wins, Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Roger Staubach ranks fifth in Cowboys passing touchdowns, but his all-time quarterback legacy is much higher than that. “Captain Comeback” was one of the most clutch players in NFL history and one of the defining quarterbacks of the 1970s.

Staubach’s 153 passing touchdowns came in an era where passing volume was much lower. He also did not become the full-time starter immediately, which limited his career totals compared with modern quarterbacks.

What made Staubach special was the combination of efficiency, mobility, leadership and winning. His two Super Bowl wins and late-game magic keep him near the top of any Cowboys quarterback debate, even if he is fifth on this specific touchdown list.

4. Danny White

Cowboys Stats & Accolades: 1976–1988 with Dallas, 155 passing touchdowns, 21,959 passing yards, 1,761 completions, 132 interceptions.

Danny White ranks fourth in Cowboys passing touchdowns with 155, just ahead of Roger Staubach. That number is one reason White remains one of the most underrated quarterbacks in franchise history.

Following Staubach was almost an impossible job. White inherited huge expectations and was judged harshly because he never won a Super Bowl as the starting quarterback.

But the production was real. White led Dallas to multiple playoff runs, including three straight NFC Championship Game appearances from 1980 to 1982. His passing numbers belong high in the Cowboys record book, and his 155 touchdowns prove he was much more than just “the guy after Staubach.”

3. Troy Aikman

Cowboys Stats & Accolades: 1989–2000 with Dallas, 165 passing touchdowns, 32,942 passing yards, 2,898 completions, 3 Super Bowl wins, Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Troy Aikman ranks third in Cowboys passing touchdowns, but he is one of the top two or three quarterbacks in franchise history by legacy. Aikman was the quarterback of the 1990s dynasty and helped Dallas win three Super Bowls.

His touchdown total is lower than Romo and Prescott because the Cowboys were not built around huge passing volume. Dallas had Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Jay Novacek, a dominant offensive line and a defense that helped control games.

Aikman’s value showed up in accuracy, toughness, timing and postseason performance. He did not need to throw 40 touchdowns in a season to dominate. He needed to execute the offense, protect the football and deliver in the biggest games — and he did exactly that.

2. Dak Prescott

Cowboys Stats & Accolades: 2016–present with Dallas, 243 passing touchdowns, 35,989 passing yards, 3,184 completions, 98.3 passer rating, active Cowboys quarterback.

Dak Prescott ranks second in Cowboys passing touchdowns with 243, just five behind Tony Romo’s franchise record. Since Prescott is still active, this record could change soon.

Prescott already passed Romo for the Cowboys career passing yards record, and the touchdown record is the next major milestone. His consistency, durability and production across multiple offensive systems have pushed him near the top of almost every Dallas passing category.

His regular-season résumé is already one of the strongest in Cowboys history. The bigger debate is postseason success. If Prescott adds deeper playoff runs to his statistical profile, his place in the franchise quarterback conversation becomes even stronger.

1. Tony Romo

Cowboys Stats & Accolades: 2003–2016 with Dallas, franchise-record 248 passing touchdowns, 34,183 passing yards, 2,829 completions, 97.1 passer rating.

Tony Romo is the Dallas Cowboys all-time passing touchdown leader with 248. His story is one of the best undrafted quarterback stories in NFL history, going from backup to franchise quarterback and eventually becoming the most productive touchdown passer in Cowboys history.

Romo gave Dallas a modern passing identity. He could extend plays, attack downfield, throw from different platforms and create touchdowns when the original play broke down. His chemistry with Jason Witten, Dez Bryant, Terrell Owens, Miles Austin and others helped define a full era of Cowboys offense.

The playoff résumé is the part fans still debate, but the regular-season production is not in question. Romo was efficient, explosive and often asked to carry the offense in ways earlier Cowboys quarterbacks were not.

For now, Romo remains No. 1 on the passing touchdown list. Prescott is close, but until the record changes, Romo is still the Cowboys touchdown pass king.

Full Ranking Table: Dallas Cowboys All-Time Passing Touchdown Leaders

Note: This table is a recap of the full passing touchdown ranking. It uses regular-season passing touchdowns with the Dallas Cowboys only.

RankPlayerCowboys YearsPassing TDsPassing YardsInterceptionsKey Cowboys Case
1Tony Romo2003–201624834,183117Franchise passing TD leader and one of the most productive Cowboys QBs ever
2Dak Prescott2016–present24335,98992Active Cowboys QB and franchise passing yards leader
3Troy Aikman1989–200016532,942141Hall of Fame quarterback and three-time Super Bowl champion
4Danny White1976–198815521,959132Underrated passer who led Dallas to multiple NFC title games
5Roger Staubach1969–197915322,700109Hall of Fame quarterback, two-time Super Bowl champion, Captain Comeback
6Don Meredith1960–196813517,199111First true franchise quarterback in Cowboys history
7Craig Morton1965–19748010,27973Key transition-era quarterback who helped Dallas reach Super Bowl V
8Eddie LeBaron1960–1963455,33153First quarterback in Cowboys franchise history
9Drew Bledsoe2005–2006304,80325Veteran bridge quarterback before Tony Romo took over
10Quincy Carter2001–2003295,83936Early-2000s starter who helped Dallas return to the playoffs in 2003

FAQ: Most Passing TDs in Dallas Cowboys History

Who has the most passing touchdowns in Dallas Cowboys history?

Tony Romo has the most passing touchdowns in Dallas Cowboys history with 248 regular-season touchdown passes.

Who is second in Cowboys career passing touchdowns?

Dak Prescott is second in Dallas Cowboys career passing touchdowns with 243 touchdown passes.

Can Dak Prescott pass Tony Romo for the Cowboys passing touchdown record?

Yes. Dak Prescott is still active and is only five touchdown passes behind Tony Romo for the Dallas Cowboys career passing touchdown record.

Who is third in Cowboys career passing touchdowns?

Troy Aikman is third in Cowboys career passing touchdowns with 165.

Who has more Cowboys passing touchdowns: Roger Staubach or Danny White?

Danny White has slightly more Cowboys regular-season passing touchdowns with 155. Roger Staubach is just behind him with 153.

Are playoff passing touchdowns included in this Cowboys ranking?

No. This ranking uses regular-season passing touchdowns with the Dallas Cowboys only.

How many passing touchdowns did Eddie LeBaron throw for the Cowboys?

Eddie LeBaron threw 45 regular-season passing touchdowns for the Dallas Cowboys.

Conclusion: Tony Romo Still Leads, But Dak Prescott Is Closing In

The Most Passing TDs in Dallas Cowboys History list starts with Tony Romo because his 248 touchdown passes remain the franchise record. Romo’s rise from undrafted free agent to Cowboys touchdown pass king is one of the best quarterback stories in team history.

Dak Prescott is the active threat to that record. He already owns the Cowboys career passing yards record, and with 243 passing touchdowns, he is close enough to pass Romo soon if he stays healthy and productive.

Behind them, Troy Aikman, Danny White, Roger Staubach, Don Meredith, Craig Morton, Eddie LeBaron, Drew Bledsoe and Quincy Carter complete a leaderboard that covers nearly every major Cowboys quarterback era.

The key thing to remember is that this is a Cowboys-only regular-season passing touchdown list. It is not based on playoff touchdowns, total NFL production or all-time quarterback legacy alone. The order comes from passing touchdowns with Dallas, while the write-ups explain why each quarterback mattered to the franchise.

More Cowboys and NFL Rankings

For the bigger quarterback debate, check out our best Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks of all-time ranking. For the full franchise picture, read our best Dallas Cowboys players of All-Time list. You can also follow SOG Football on Instagram for more NFL rankings, debates and football history graphics.

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