A team scores a touchdown, then lines up for one more play. A few minutes later, the defense tackles a runner in his own end zone and the referee signals again. Both moments involve points, but an extra point and a safety happen in very different ways—and they reward different teams.
The short version: an extra point is a post-touchdown scoring attempt by the team that just scored, while a safety is usually worth two points to the defense when the offense is responsible for the ball becoming dead in its own end zone.
What Is an Extra Point?
An extra point, formally called a try or point-after-touchdown attempt, gives the scoring team a chance to add points immediately after a touchdown. The offense chooses between kicking for one point and running or passing for two.
- One-point try: The offense kicks the ball through the uprights.
- Two-point try: The offense snaps the ball and tries to carry or pass it into the end zone, much like a short-yardage play.
In the NFL, a kick is attempted from the 15-yard line, while a two-point attempt starts from the 2-yard line. In college football, both tries begin from the 3-yard line. The exact setup varies by level, but the basic choice is the same: take the more routine one point or try for two.
Coaches often choose the kick when they want a dependable point. They may go for two when the score makes an extra point especially valuable, or when they want to use a favorable matchup near the goal line. For example, if a team is down by two points late in a game, converting a two-point try after a touchdown can put it ahead. If the offense fails, it gets no points from the attempt.
What Is a Safety?
A safety is a scoring play that normally gives two points to the defensive team. It happens when the offense is responsible for the ball becoming dead in its own end zone. The most familiar example is a quarterback being tackled there while holding the ball.
Other plays can lead to a safety, too. A runner might retreat into his own end zone and be tackled, or an offensive player could commit a penalty there. A backward pass or fumble that goes out of bounds behind the offense’s goal line can also result in a safety, depending on who had possession and how the play unfolded.
The important detail is responsibility. A tackle in the end zone is not automatically a safety. If the defense intercepts a pass and the returner’s momentum carries him into his own end zone, then he is tackled there, the play is generally ruled a touchback rather than a safety. The officials consider how the ball got into the end zone and which team was responsible for it being there.
Extra Point vs. Safety: The Main Differences
| Feature | Extra point | Safety |
|---|---|---|
| When it happens | After a touchdown, during a try | During ordinary play when the offense is responsible for the ball becoming dead in its own end zone |
| Who usually scores | The team that scored the touchdown | The opposing defense |
| Points | One for a successful kick; two for a successful run or pass | Two in the usual case |
| What happens next | The teams proceed to the kickoff | The team that gave up the safety must make a safety kick, giving the other team the ball |
How the Plays Look in a Game
An extra point in action
Suppose the Kansas City Chiefs score a touchdown to take a 20–17 lead. They can kick for one point and make it 21–17, or run or pass for two and try to make it 22–17. The attempt happens after the touchdown, and the other team does not get a chance to score during that try. Once it ends, play moves on to the kickoff.
A safety in action
Now picture a team backed up near its own goal line. The quarterback takes the snap, but the pass rush breaks through. He tries to escape, gets tackled with the ball in the end zone, and the officials rule a safety. The defense gets two points, and the team that conceded them must kick the ball back into play. That change of possession can make a safety more costly than its point value alone suggests.
Safeties can also be tactical. A team protecting a lead might accept a safety rather than risk a blocked punt or a turnover close to its own end zone. In that situation, the two points are a price paid to improve field position or use time. Whether the decision makes sense depends on the score, the clock, and the likely result of the ensuing kick.
One Unusual Exception: A One-Point Safety
Although a normal safety is worth two points, a rare safety during a try can be worth one point. These plays are unusual because they require a safety to occur during the short extra-point attempt after a touchdown. For most fans, the practical distinction remains simple: a standard safety during a regular play is two points for the defense; a successful extra-point kick is one point for the offense.
Related Articles
- Why Is the Extra Point Important in American Football?
- What Is a Safety in American Football? Rules and Points Explained
- When Is an Extra Point Used in American Football?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a team score an extra point without kicking?
Yes. After a touchdown, the team can run or pass the ball into the end zone for a two-point conversion. The kick is worth one point; the run or pass is worth two.
Does a safety always give the defense two points?
A regular safety gives the defensive team two points. A rare safety during a try can be worth one point, so the setting of the play matters.
Does a safety give the scoring team the ball?
Yes. After conceding a safety, the team that gave up the points makes a safety kick. The opposing team receives the ball, so the team that scored the safety gets both points and the next possession.
Is a player tackled in his own end zone always a safety?
No. The officials look at how the ball entered the end zone and which team was responsible. For example, a defender whose momentum carries him into his own end zone after an interception will generally get a touchback if he is stopped there.
Final Thoughts
An extra point is a choice made by the team that has just scored a touchdown: kick for one or try a play for two. A safety is usually two points for the defense when the offense is responsible for the ball becoming dead in its own end zone. Remember who earns the points, when the play occurs, and what happens to possession, and the difference is easy to spot on the next drive.
Aiden Cross is a sports writer and editor at BeliveSports, covering a broad range of sports with a focus on clear, accurate, and practical information. His work covers rules, techniques, player roles, competitions, equipment, statistics, and the details that help readers better understand how different sports are played. Aiden takes a research-driven approach to sports writing, using reliable sources and established sporting information to provide context rather than simply repeating surface-level facts. His goal is to make complex topics accessible while maintaining the accuracy and depth expected by knowledgeable sports fans. At BeliveSports, Aiden contributes to the site’s editorial standards by focusing on accuracy, clarity, useful context, and reader-first explanations.