How many points is a touchdown?
A touchdown is worth 6 points in American football. The scoring team can then try for 1 extra point with a kick or 2 points with a two-point conversion.
Touchdowns were not always worth six points. In the early days of the sport in the late 1800s, a touchdown was worth less than a field goal. Its value rose over time, and it was set at six points in 1912. Today, it is the most valuable single scoring play in the game.
After a touchdown, the extra-point kick in the NFL is taken from the 15-yard line, a change made in 2015 to make it harder. The two-point conversion starts from the 2-yard line. Teams choose depending on the score and the game situation.
Other ways to score
A field goal, kicked through the goalposts during regular play, is worth 3 points. A safety, when the defense tackles a ball carrier in his own end zone, is worth 2 points. That is why football scores often include numbers like 7, 10, 14 and 17.
Did You Know?
In Canadian football, a touchdown is also worth 6 points, but teams can score a single point, called a rouge, when the ball is kicked into the end zone and not returned.