Caleb Williams didn’t just show up in the NFL’s deep-ball conversation in 2025 - he owned it.
According to PFF, Williams led the league with 13 touchdown throws on passes that traveled 20-plus air yards. For a quarterback in his second NFL season and his first year running Ben Johnson’s offense, that’s a serious statement. Learning a complicated system takes time, and this kind of production says Williams is still climbing toward whatever his ceiling ends up being.
The name sitting next to him at the top is the real twist.
It wasn’t Drake Maye, even after the New England Patriots’ Super Bowl appearance. It wasn’t Jayden Daniels, the second quarterback selected behind Williams. Instead, the other quarterback tied for first was Bo Nix, the final first-round passer in that class, now with Sean Payton’s Denver Broncos.
Nix also finished with 13 touchdowns on throws beyond 20 yards, a number that jumps off the page no matter how you slice it. It’s the kind of stat that makes you do a double take, especially when it’s not attached to one of the league’s most established names.
None of that changes the fact that Williams and Nix occupy different spots in the way people talk about quarterback talent and long-term upside. But the production is the production, and Nix just put together a highly efficient season of his own.
That becomes even more notable when you remember he came away with a playoff win over the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen.
For Williams, though, the bigger story is what the number says about his game. His ability to use his legs helps him extend plays, buy time, and create cleaner chances for receivers to get behind the defense. That’s where the explosive throws start to pile up.
So the headline is simple: Williams led the NFL in deep touchdown throws, and the only real surprise is the quarterback tied with him. Bo Nix may not be the first name that comes to mind, but the numbers say he belongs in the same sentence.
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