A team reaches the end zone, the crowd celebrates, and then the offense lines up again. That second play often causes confusion: wasn’t the touchdown the score? It was—but the team gets a chance to add more points immediately afterward. A touchdown and an extra point are related, but they are separate plays with different values and purposes.
The basic difference
A touchdown is a scoring play worth six points. Once a team scores one, it gets a chance to run a try, commonly called the point-after-touchdown attempt or PAT. A successful kick on the try adds one point. The offense can instead try to score again by running or passing the ball into the end zone for two points.
| Play | What it means | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Touchdown | The ball is legally carried into, caught in, or otherwise scored in the opponent’s end zone. | 6 |
| Extra-point kick | The team kicks the ball through the uprights during its try after a touchdown. | 1 |
| Two-point conversion | The team runs or passes the ball into the end zone during its try. | 2 |
So if a team scores a touchdown and then makes the kick, the sequence is worth seven points in total—not six plus an extra point already included in the touchdown.
How a touchdown is scored
The most familiar touchdown comes when a running back carries the ball across the goal line, or a receiver catches a pass in the end zone while completing the catch. In either case, the key is legal possession of the ball in the opponent’s end zone. A player who breaks the plane of the goal line with the ball in possession has scored, even if he is tackled immediately afterward.
Touchdowns can also come from defensive and special-teams plays. A defender might intercept a pass and return it for a score; a player might recover a fumble and reach the end zone; or a returner might take a kickoff or punt all the way back. The scoring play is still worth six points, and the team that scored gets a try afterward.
A touchdown is not the same as simply having the ball near the goal line. The offense must complete a scoring action under the rules. For example, a receiver has to satisfy the catch requirements, and a runner must have possession as the ball reaches the goal line.
What happens after the touchdown
After a touchdown, the scoring team chooses how to attempt its try. The familiar option is a place kick through the uprights. In the NFL, the ball is snapped from the 15-yard line for a one-point attempt, making it a 33-yard kick because the goalposts are 10 yards beyond the goal line. In college football, the kick is snapped from the 3-yard line, so the attempt is shorter.
The other common choice is a two-point conversion. The offense takes the ball from close to the goal line—at the 2-yard line in the NFL and the 3-yard line in college—and tries to score by running or passing it into the end zone. The defense can stop the attempt, leaving the team with no points from the try. It can also take possession and return the ball to the opposite end zone for two points of its own.
The try is a separate play, not a continuation of the touchdown. A team that scores a touchdown can still fail to add anything afterward. Likewise, a made PAT does not count as another touchdown; it is recorded as a point after the touchdown.
Why teams sometimes go for two
The decision depends on the score, the time left, the team’s confidence in its offense, and the likely value of each option. A kick is usually the safer way to add one point. A two-point attempt is riskier, but it can be more useful when the score makes one point insufficient.
For example, a team trailing by eight late in a game may need two touchdowns and two successful two-point conversions to tie. If it scores once and converts for two, it can make the next possession less complicated. Coaches may also choose to go for two when a conversion would change the lead or create a more favorable scoring margin. There is no universal rule that a team should always kick or always go for two; the game situation matters.
Picture a team leading 20–14 and scoring a touchdown. The score becomes 26–14. A successful kick makes it 27–14, while a successful two-point conversion makes it 28–14. The touchdown created the six-point change; the try determines whether the team adds one more point, two more points, or none.
Related Articles
- What Is an Extra Point in American Football?
- Extra Point vs. Safety in American Football: Key Differences
- What Is a Touchdown in American Football? Explained
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an extra point part of a touchdown?
No. A touchdown is worth six points on its own. The extra-point kick is a separate attempt that follows it and adds one point if successful.
Can a team score two points after a touchdown?
Yes. Instead of kicking, the offense can run or pass the ball into the end zone on its try. A successful conversion is worth two points.
Can the defense score during an extra-point attempt?
Yes. If the defense gains possession during a try and returns the ball to the opposite end zone, it scores two points. This can happen after an interception or a fumble recovery.
Does every touchdown have to be followed by an extra-point kick?
No. The team can choose a kick or a two-point conversion. If the game ends or the team chooses not to attempt a kick, a made extra point is not automatic.
Final Thoughts
The simplest way to keep the terms straight is to remember the order and the value: a touchdown scores six points, then the try offers a chance to add one or two more. The touchdown is the main scoring play; the extra point or two-point conversion is the follow-up decision that can shape the final score.
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.