Former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is retiring from the NFL.
In his 23-year career, Tom Brady has thrown 737 touchdowns to 98 different receivers between two different teams, the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
If we were talking strictly about his Patriots career, No.5 would be wide receiver Deion Branch. The Patriots drafted Branch in the second round of the 2002 NFL draft, and during his time in New England, Branch caught 28 touchdowns from Brady over two separate stints.
Who are Tom Brady’s top 5 career touchdown receivers?
Tom Brady and Mike Evans lit it up down in Tampa
The first of the top 5 is Mike Evans. The Tampa Bay Buccanneers wide receiver caught 36 career touchdown passes from Brady during his time in Tampa Bay. His first touchdown came in Week 1 of the 2020 season against the New Orleans Saints.
In the playoffs leading up to the 2020 Buccaneers’ Super Bowl win, Evans scored his first playoff touchdown in the Division Round against the Saints. Evans scored one touchdown in the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers.
Evans’ last touchdown from Brady came in Week 17 of the 2022 season against the Carolina Panthers, in which Evans scored three touchdowns.
The Tom Brady and Wes Welker were electric for the New England Patriots
Coming in at No. 4 is Wes Welker.
During his time in New England, Welker caught 38 touchdowns from Brady.
Brady and Welker were Patriots teammates from 2007 and 2012. Welker caught his first touchdown from Brady in Week 1 of the 2007 season against the New York Jets. His last touchdown from Brady came in the 2012 AFC Championship loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
In the six seasons of playing with Brady, Welker caught 34 regular-season touchdowns and four postseason touchdowns.
Tom Brady to Randy Moss gave the NFL nightmares in 2007
Randy Moss comes in at No. 3 on this list.
Moss, an all-time great receiver, was Patriots teammates with Tom Brady from 2007 to 2010; during this time, he caught 40 touchdowns from his quarterback.
Moss’ first touchdown from Brady came in Week 1 of the 2007 season against the New York Jets. As well as the touchdown, Moss had nine receptions for 181 yards in the game. Moss’ last touchdown from Brady came in Week 3 of the 2010 season against the Buffalo Bills.
In his time in New England, Moss scored one postseason touchdown, which happened in the Super Bowl XLII loss to the New York Giants.
Jules was a special target for Tom Brady
Julian Edelman comes in No. 2, which is not surprising considering the special connection with Brady. Edelman caught 41 touchdowns from Brady.
Edelman was drafted by the Patriots in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL draft and was teammates with Brady until the quarterback left in 2020.
Edelman scored his first touchdown from Brady in the 2009 Week 10 game against the Indianapolis Colts. Edelman’s last touchdown from Brady came in Week 13 of the 2019 season against the Houston Texans.
During his time in New England, Edelman caught six postseason touchdowns from Brady.
Tom Brady to Gronk was something special
To no one’s surprise, coming in at No.1 is tight end Rob Gronkowski.
Brady and Gronkowski’s connection has been carried over to two teams, the Patriots and the Buccaneers. In total, the pair have connected for 105 touchdowns, 90 with New England and 15 with Tampa Bay.
The Patriots drafted Gronkowski in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft. Gronkowski caught his first regular-season touchdown from Brady in the 2010 Week 1 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Gronkowksi’s last Patriots touchdown from Brady came in the Week 14 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
When Gronkowski joined Brady in Tampa Bay, it did not take long for their connection to heat up again. Gronk caught his first Buccanneers touchdown in Week 6 of the 2020 season against the Green Bay Packers. Gronkowski also caught two of the three touchdown passes Brady threw in the Buccanneers’ Super Bowl LV win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
In the postseason, Gronkowski has caught 15 touchdown passes from Brady, 12 with the Patriots and three with the Buccanneers.
Tom Brady has had an illustrious NFL career, heightened by his teammates, especially the 98 receivers who caught his touchdown passes.