Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) a cytokine has been shown to be the key player during the pathogenesis of several autoimmune inflammatory disorders (presumably sterile inflammation) including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Several studies have shown that TNF-α is mainly involved in the proinflammatory responses. However recent studies have reported multifunctional role of TNF-α during the development of RA. Therefore, in this article we have highlighted the distinct functions of TNF-α during pathogenesis of RA.