Peyton Manning was considered to be one of the best quarterbacks in history when he broke the record for touchdowns in a season back in 2004.

Fast-forward nearly a decade and this hasn't changed, as Manning reclaimed his record on Sunday by tossing his 51st touchdown of the year when he connected with tight end Julius Thomas.

The legendary quarterback has had a season to remember and Sunday was the icing on the cake when the Broncos knocked off the Houston Texans to clinch the AFC South division title for the second consecutive year.

"I think it's a unique thing and a neat thing to be a part of NFL history, even though it may be temporary," Manning said on Sunday, according to ESPN. "So I'm going to enjoy it as long as it lasts, and hopefully the Hall of Fame will send the ball back once somebody throws for more."

The older Manning brother reclaimed the record after New England counterpart Tom Brady broke it during the Patriots' undefeated 2007 campaign. Prior to Manning's first record in 2004, the last quarterback to hold the record for passing touchdowns in a single season was Dan Marino, when the former quarterback tossed 48 touchdowns in 1984.

Brady had only positive words to say after the games on Sunday, calling Manning's new record "an incredible feat" when he was interviewed on the Dennis & Callahan show via WEEI radio in Boston.

"To throw 50 like we did in 2007 was incredible," Brady said. Marino threw 48, then Peyton threw 49, and I was lucky enough to be on the team to throw 50. And 51 is unbelievable through 15 games, they've been throwing at an incredible pace, and what they've done offensively and certainly in the passing game has been incredible."

Manning vs. Brady vs. Marino

Manning and Brady are obviously still playing, but they're bound to leave a lasting legacy when they finally decide to hang up their cleats. Even before retirement, both stars have solidified their rightful spots in history alongside Marino and a number of other quarterbacks who have excelled in different categories such as passing yards, passer rating, and postseason success.

All things considered, which quarterback among the three do you think is the best? Do regular season touchdowns mean everything or should we be taking their postseason careers into consideration?

Other Quarterback News

The breaking news out of Dallas is that quarterback Tony Romo is going to miss the remainder of the 2013 season after hurting his back in the Cowboys' Week 16 game against the Washington Redskins, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Cowboys will be hosting the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday in a game that will determine the NFC East winner. The winning team will enjoy home field advantage in the Wild Card playoffs while the loser will miss the postseason entirely.