When talking about the 2023 campaign, Tua Tagovailoa holds down the top spot in 1st downs from passing with 53. Ranking in the runner up spot is Kirk Cousins, enjoying a 1st downs from passing total of 49. Having a tally of 46, Matthew Stafford comes in at the 3rd spot. Holding on to the 4th and 5th position are Justin Herbert (45) in addition to C.J. Stroud (42).
2023 NFL 1st Down Passing Leaders
| Rank | Player | Stat |
|---|
| 1st | Tua Tagovailoa | 53 |
| 2nd | Kirk Cousins | 49 |
| 3rd | Matthew Stafford | 46 |
| 4th | Justin Herbert | 45 |
| 5th | C.J. Stroud | 42 |
| 6th | Jared Goff | 39 |
| 7th | Geno Smith | 39 |
| 8th | Josh Allen | 38 |
| 9th | Mac Jones | 37 |
| 10th | Brock Purdy | 37 |
| 11th | Patrick Mahomes | 36 |
| 12th | Trevor Lawrence | 36 |
| 13th | Dak Prescott | 35 |
| 14th | Jimmy Garoppolo | 33 |
| 15th | Deshaun Watson | 33 |
| 16th | Jordan Love | 33 |
| 17th | Russell Wilson | 32 |
| 18th | Sam Howell | 29 |
| 19th | Derek Carr | 29 |
| 20th | Baker Mayfield | 29 |
| 21st | Joe Burrow | 28 |
| 22nd | Joshua Dobbs | 28 |
| 23rd | Lamar Jackson | 27 |
| 24th | Daniel Jones | 26 |
| 25th | Justin Fields | 26 |
| 26th | Kenny Pickett | 25 |
| 27th | Jalen Hurts | 25 |
| 28th | Desmond Ridder | 25 |
| 29th | Ryan Tannehill | 22 |
| 30th | Zach Wilson | 19 |
2022 NFL 1st Down Passing Leaders
| Rank | Player | Stat |
|---|
| 1st | Patrick Mahomes | 272 |
| 2nd | Tom Brady | 237 |
| 3rd | Kirk Cousins | 230 |
| 4th | Justin Herbert | 228 |
| 5th | Jared Goff | 227 |
| 6th | Joe Burrow | 222 |
| 7th | Josh Allen | 214 |
| 8th | Geno Smith | 206 |
| 9th | Trevor Lawrence | 206 |
| 10th | Aaron Rodgers | 177 |
| 11th | Jalen Hurts | 165 |
| 12th | Tua Tagovailoa | 162 |
| 13th | Derek Carr | 161 |
| 14th | Daniel Jones | 156 |
| 15th | Matt Ryan | 156 |
| 16th | Russell Wilson | 142 |
| 17th | Dak Prescott | 142 |
| 18th | Davis Mills | 135 |
| 19th | Andy Dalton | 135 |
| 20th | Jacoby Brissett | 129 |
| 21st | Mac Jones | 127 |
| 22nd | Kenny Pickett | 123 |
| 23rd | Kyler Murray | 119 |
| 24th | Ryan Tannehill | 116 |
| 25th | Jimmy Garoppolo | 114 |
| 26th | Marcus Mariota | 111 |
| 27th | Lamar Jackson | 105 |
| 28th | Matthew Stafford | 105 |
| 29th | Baker Mayfield | 94 |
| 30th | Taylor Heinicke | 93 |
2021 NFL 1st Down Passing Leaders
| Rank | Player | Stat |
|---|
| 1st | Tom Brady | 269 |
| 2nd | Patrick Mahomes | 260 |
| 3rd | Justin Herbert | 256 |
| 4th | Josh Allen | 234 |
| 5th | Matthew Stafford | 233 |
| 6th | Dak Prescott | 227 |
| 7th | Derek Carr | 217 |
| 8th | Aaron Rodgers | 213 |
| 9th | Joe Burrow | 202 |
| 10th | Matt Ryan | 195 |
| 11th | Kirk Cousins | 192 |
| 12th | Ryan Tannehill | 192 |
| 13th | Ben Roethlisberger | 188 |
| 14th | Mac Jones | 177 |
| 15th | Trevor Lawrence | 177 |
| 16th | Jimmy Garoppolo | 172 |
| 17th | Kyler Murray | 172 |
| 18th | Taylor Heinicke | 167 |
| 19th | Carson Wentz | 165 |
| 20th | Jared Goff | 162 |
| 21st | Teddy Bridgewater | 146 |
| 22nd | Jalen Hurts | 143 |
| 23rd | Baker Mayfield | 143 |
| 24th | Tua Tagovailoa | 137 |
| 25th | Russell Wilson | 135 |
| 26th | Lamar Jackson | 135 |
| 27th | Sam Darnold | 123 |
| 28th | Davis Mills | 118 |
| 29th | Daniel Jones | 116 |
| 30th | Zach Wilson | 112 |
2020 NFL 1st Down Passing Leaders
| Rank | Player | Stat |
|---|
| 1st | Matt Ryan | 242 |
| 2nd | Patrick Mahomes | 238 |
| 3rd | Tom Brady | 233 |
| 4th | Josh Allen | 228 |
| 5th | Deshaun Watson | 221 |
| 6th | Justin Herbert | 216 |
| 7th | Aaron Rodgers | 216 |
| 8th | Russell Wilson | 213 |
| 9th | Kirk Cousins | 212 |
| 10th | Matthew Stafford | 205 |
| 11th | Kyler Murray | 205 |
| 12th | Ryan Tannehill | 202 |
| 13th | Philip Rivers | 200 |
| 14th | Jared Goff | 194 |
| 15th | Ben Roethlisberger | 193 |
| 16th | Derek Carr | 192 |
| 17th | Baker Mayfield | 188 |
| 18th | Teddy Bridgewater | 174 |
| 19th | Daniel Jones | 157 |
| 20th | Joe Burrow | 150 |
| 21st | Drew Brees | 149 |
| 22nd | Drew Lock | 145 |
| 23rd | Lamar Jackson | 138 |
| 24th | Cam Newton | 133 |
| 25th | Carson Wentz | 130 |
| 26th | Mitchell Trubisky | 124 |
| 27th | Nick Mullens | 120 |
| 28th | Gardner Minshew II | 117 |
| 29th | Andy Dalton | 116 |
| 30th | Sam Darnold | 109 |
2019 NFL 1st Down Passing Leaders
| Rank | Player | Stat |
|---|
| 1st | Jameis Winston | 243 |
| 2nd | Dak Prescott | 229 |
| 3rd | Matt Ryan | 228 |
| 4th | Jared Goff | 220 |
| 5th | Philip Rivers | 217 |
| 6th | Carson Wentz | 213 |
| 7th | Tom Brady | 193 |
| 8th | Jimmy Garoppolo | 193 |
| 9th | Derek Carr | 191 |
| 10th | Deshaun Watson | 191 |
| 11th | Russell Wilson | 190 |
| 12th | Aaron Rodgers | 189 |
| 13th | Kyle Allen | 188 |
| 14th | Ryan Fitzpatrick | 182 |
| 15th | Baker Mayfield | 179 |
| 16th | Patrick Mahomes | 176 |
| 17th | Kyler Murray | 173 |
| 18th | Andy Dalton | 170 |
| 19th | Kirk Cousins | 165 |
| 20th | Lamar Jackson | 161 |
| 21st | Drew Brees | 159 |
| 22nd | Mitchell Trubisky | 156 |
| 23rd | Gardner Minshew II | 150 |
| 24th | Sam Darnold | 147 |
| 25th | Josh Allen | 146 |
| 26th | Jacoby Brissett | 143 |
| 27th | Daniel Jones | 140 |
| 28th | Ryan Tannehill | 126 |
| 29th | Matthew Stafford | 117 |
| 30th | Joe Flacco | 86 |
2018 NFL 1st Down Passing Leaders
| Rank | Player | Stat |
|---|
| 1st | Ben Roethlisberger | 248 |
| 2nd | Patrick Mahomes | 237 |
| 3rd | Matt Ryan | 236 |
| 4th | Andrew Luck | 236 |
| 5th | Jared Goff | 233 |
| 6th | Kirk Cousins | 218 |
| 7th | Philip Rivers | 211 |
| 8th | Tom Brady | 205 |
| 9th | Eli Manning | 205 |
| 10th | Deshaun Watson | 202 |
| 11th | Aaron Rodgers | 200 |
| 12th | Derek Carr | 197 |
| 13th | Drew Brees | 197 |
| 14th | Matthew Stafford | 197 |
| 15th | Dak Prescott | 184 |
| 16th | Cam Newton | 180 |
| 17th | Case Keenum | 179 |
| 18th | Baker Mayfield | 171 |
| 19th | Carson Wentz | 159 |
| 20th | Russell Wilson | 156 |
| 21st | Jameis Winston | 152 |
| 22nd | Mitchell Trubisky | 151 |
| 23rd | Andy Dalton | 132 |
| 24th | Sam Darnold | 130 |
| 25th | Blake Bortles | 126 |
| 26th | Marcus Mariota | 121 |
| 27th | Joe Flacco | 119 |
| 28th | Ryan Fitzpatrick | 113 |
| 29th | Josh Rosen | 112 |
| 30th | Nick Mullens | 106 |
2017 NFL 1st Down Passing Leaders
| Rank | Player | Stat |
|---|
| 1st | Tom Brady | 230 |
| 2nd | Philip Rivers | 217 |
| 3rd | Matthew Stafford | 210 |
| 4th | Ben Roethlisberger | 204 |
| 5th | Drew Brees | 203 |
| 6th | Matt Ryan | 199 |
| 7th | Blake Bortles | 195 |
| 8th | Kirk Cousins | 194 |
| 9th | Russell Wilson | 189 |
| 10th | Jameis Winston | 185 |
| 11th | Alex Smith | 182 |
| 12th | Case Keenum | 180 |
| 13th | Jared Goff | 177 |
| 14th | Eli Manning | 172 |
| 15th | Derek Carr | 168 |
| 16th | Cam Newton | 167 |
| 17th | Andy Dalton | 163 |
| 18th | Joe Flacco | 163 |
| 19th | Dak Prescott | 162 |
| 20th | Carson Wentz | 161 |
| 21st | Marcus Mariota | 149 |
| 22nd | Jacoby Brissett | 146 |
| 23rd | Jay Cutler | 138 |
| 24th | Josh McCown | 137 |
| 25th | Tyrod Taylor | 133 |
| 26th | DeShone Kizer | 131 |
| 27th | Trevor Siemian | 112 |
| 28th | Mitchell Trubisky | 100 |
| 29th | Carson Palmer | 95 |
| 30th | Brett Hundley | 90 |
2016 NFL 1st Down Passing Leaders
| Rank | Player | Stat |
|---|
| 1st | Drew Brees | 265 |
| 2nd | Matt Ryan | 240 |
| 3rd | Kirk Cousins | 227 |
| 4th | Aaron Rodgers | 226 |
| 5th | Carson Palmer | 220 |
| 6th | Matthew Stafford | 218 |
| 7th | Jameis Winston | 216 |
| 8th | Philip Rivers | 215 |
| 9th | Blake Bortles | 207 |
| 10th | Andrew Luck | 206 |
| 11th | Andy Dalton | 206 |
| 12th | Joe Flacco | 204 |
| 13th | Sam Bradford | 199 |
| 14th | Russell Wilson | 193 |
| 15th | Carson Wentz | 192 |
| 16th | Eli Manning | 191 |
| 17th | Derek Carr | 191 |
| 18th | Dak Prescott | 185 |
| 19th | Ben Roethlisberger | 184 |
| 20th | Alex Smith | 182 |
| 21st | Cam Newton | 173 |
| 22nd | Tom Brady | 165 |
| 23rd | Marcus Mariota | 157 |
| 24th | Trevor Siemian | 155 |
| 25th | Brock Osweiler | 154 |
| 26th | Tyrod Taylor | 148 |
| 27th | Ryan Tannehill | 134 |
| 28th | Ryan Fitzpatrick | 130 |
| 29th | Case Keenum | 103 |
| 30th | Colin Kaepernick | 101 |
2015 NFL 1st Down Passing Leaders
| Rank | Player | Stat |
|---|
| 1st | Carson Palmer | 231 |
| 2nd | Tom Brady | 229 |
| 3rd | Drew Brees | 228 |
| 4th | Matt Ryan | 228 |
| 5th | Philip Rivers | 227 |
| 6th | Matthew Stafford | 224 |
| 7th | Blake Bortles | 220 |
| 8th | Eli Manning | 206 |
| 9th | Kirk Cousins | 205 |
| 10th | Jameis Winston | 201 |
| 11th | Ryan Fitzpatrick | 197 |
| 12th | Ryan Tannehill | 195 |
| 13th | Cam Newton | 195 |
| 14th | Russell Wilson | 190 |
| 15th | Derek Carr | 188 |
| 16th | Aaron Rodgers | 177 |
| 17th | Ben Roethlisberger | 175 |
| 18th | Jay Cutler | 173 |
| 19th | Sam Bradford | 170 |
| 20th | Alex Smith | 155 |
| 21st | Teddy Bridgewater | 153 |
| 22nd | Andy Dalton | 148 |
| 23rd | Marcus Mariota | 142 |
| 24th | Brian Hoyer | 130 |
| 25th | Tyrod Taylor | 129 |
| 26th | Joe Flacco | 125 |
| 27th | Peyton Manning | 110 |
| 28th | Josh McCown | 96 |
| 29th | Brock Osweiler | 92 |
| 30th | Andrew Luck | 92 |
