Basketball

NFL scoring works through six distinct plays. Each one is worth a different point total. A touchdown is worth 6 points. The point-after-touchdown kick adds 1 point. A two-point conversion is worth 2. A field goal is worth 3, and a safety is worth 2. Defensive and special teams touchdowns also count for 6, the same as any offensive score. That list looks simple on paper. The actual rules behind each play still trip up plenty of fans watching a close game, especially the two point-after options and the rare safety. How Does NFL Scoring Work? Every Way to Put Points on the Board Every scoring play in the NFL falls into one of six categories, part of the broader rulebook that governs the sport. The table below breaks down what each one is worth and the basic rule that triggers it. Scoring PlayPointsHow It Happens Touchdown6Ball crosses the goal line in possession Extra point (PAT)1Kick through the uprights after a touchdown Two-point conversion2Offense scores again from the 2-yard line Field goal3Kick through the uprights during live play Safety2Ball carrier tackled in his own end zone Defensive/special teams touchdown6Interception, fumble, or kick return to the end zone Touchdown: The Most Valuable Play in Football A touchdown happens when a player controls the ball on, above, or across the plane of the opponent's goal line. That's true whether he's running it in, catching a pass in the end zone, or recovering a loose ball there. Six points go on the board immediately. Nothing else in football is worth more in a single play. Every touchdown also comes with a bonus decision. The scoring team chooses between kicking a single extra point or lining up for a tougher two-point conversion. That choice shapes the rest of the scoring math on the board. PAT: The Extra Point After a Touchdown The point-after-touchdown kick, usually called the PAT, is worth 1 point. Teams snap it from the 15-yard line. The league made that change in 2015 specifically to turn an almost automatic play into a real 33-yard kick attempt. Missing a PAT still happens, just far less often than fans assume. Top kickers convert well over 90% of their attempts from that distance. That's precisely why the 2015 rule change mattered. The old 2-yard-line snap had made the kick close to a sure thing. Two-Point Conversion: When Teams Skip the Kick A two-point conversion is worth exactly what it sounds like: 2 points instead of 1. The offense snaps from the 2-yard line and has to score again, either by running or passing the ball into the end zone. There's no second chance if it fails. Coaches lean on scoring charts to decide between kicking and going for two, especially late in games. A team down by two scores in the fourth quarter often needs a successful two-point try. Without it, there's rarely a real shot at tying or taking the lead before the clock runs out. Field Goal: Three Points Without the End Zone A field goal is worth 3 points and doesn't require reaching the end zone at all. The kicker just needs to send the ball through the uprights. That can happen on fourth down or any other down, from wherever the offense's drive stalls out. Distance separates good kickers from legendary ones. Jacksonville's Cam Little holds the current NFL record at 68 yards, set against the Raiders in November 2025. That kick broke the mark Justin Tucker had held since 2021. The number alone shows how much stronger and more accurate kicking has become across the league. Safety: The Rare Defensive Points Play A safety is worth 2 points. It's the only scoring play that doesn't require possession of the ball to end with your team ahead. A safety occurs when a ball carrier is tackled in his own end zone. It can also happen when the offense commits certain penalties, like holding, behind its own goal line. The team that gives up a safety also loses the ball afterward. It has to free-kick from its own 20-yard line, handing the scoring team both the 2 points and possession right back. That double cost is exactly why safeties, though rare, can swing a close game fast. Defensive and Special Teams Touchdowns The defense scores exactly like the offense does. Reaching the end zone is worth 6 points, whether it comes off an interception return, a fumble return, or a blocked kick scooped up and carried in. Special teams add another path entirely, returning a punt or kickoff the full length of the field. These plays don't happen often, but they shift games harder than almost any other score. A defense that turns a forced fumble into a touchdown does more than score 6 points. It also takes the ball away from an offense that was driving. Frequently Asked Questions How many points is a touchdown worth in the NFL? Six points. The scoring team then chooses between a 1-point PAT kick or a 2-point conversion attempt immediately afterward. What is the difference between a PAT and a two-point conversion? A PAT is a kick from the 15-yard line worth 1 point. A two-point conversion is a run or pass from the 2-yard line worth 2 points, with no backup attempt if it fails. How many points is a safety worth? Two points, plus possession. The team that allows the safety has to free-kick the ball back to the scoring team afterward. Can the defense score touchdowns in the NFL? Yes, worth the same 6 points as any offensive touchdown. Interception returns, fumble returns, and blocked-kick returns all count the same way. What is the longest field goal in NFL history? Cam Little's 68-yard kick for the Jacksonville Jaguars in November 2025 holds the current record. It broke Justin Tucker's 66-yard mark from 2021. Why did the NFL move the extra point back to the 15-yard line? The league made the change in 2015 to make the PAT a real 33-yard kick instead of an almost automatic short attempt. Missed extra points became far more common right away. What happens after a safety is scored? The team that gave up the safety has to free kick the ball from its own 20-yard line. The scoring team gets both 2 points and the ball back in the same play. How does NFL scoring work in the simplest terms? Six different plays, six different point values, and a handful of strategic choices built into nearly every possession. Kick or go for two, chase a long field goal or punt, the math never really stops. Even a game that heads to overtime still comes down to the same six scoring plays that decided the first four quarters.