Points drive strategy in professional football, and the NFL rulebook outlines several distinct ways to earn them. While most fans know the basics, an in-depth look at each scoring method reveals why coaches make certain calls and how rare situations can flip a game.
This guide breaks down every legal way an NFL team can score, clarifying point values, core rules, and scenarios that turn a routine snap into a highlight-reel moment.
The touchdown is the headline act of NFL scoring. A team earns six points when the ball crosses the opponent’s goal line in possession of a player or is caught in the end zone with both feet (or another body part) in bounds.
Touchdowns can come via rushing, passing, fumble recoveries, interceptions, blocked kicks, and even kickoff or punt returns. Once awarded, the scoring team chooses a conversion attempt to add either one or two additional points.
After a touchdown, the most common choice is the point-after-touchdown kick. The ball is snapped from the 15-yard line, making it a 33-yard attempt. A successful kick that travels between the uprights and over the crossbar adds one point.
If the try is blocked or missed, no points are added. The defense cannot score on a blocked or missed PAT kick under current NFL rules.
Instead of kicking, the offense may run a single scrimmage play from the two-yard line (the three-yard line in preseason). Crossing the goal line on that play counts for two points.
Failing to score returns possession to the opponent at the spot of the kickoff. Coaches reserve two-point tries for late-game math, weather concerns, or confidence mismatches in short-yardage situations.
When the offense stalls yet crosses midfield, a field goal often becomes the goal. The holder aligns seven yards behind the line of scrimmage, so a kick from the 35-yard line equals a 53-yard attempt.
The ball must pass between the uprights and above the crossbar. Misses that travel into or through the end zone result in the opposition taking over at the spot of the kick or their 20-yard line, whichever is farther from the goal.
A safety occurs when the offensive team in possession of the ball is downed in its own end zone, steps out of bounds there, or commits a penalty there such as intentional grounding. The defense is credited with two points.
Following a safety, the team that was scored upon must execute a free kick from its own 20-yard line, giving the scoring team favorable field position in addition to the points.
On a conversion attempt, the defense can return a blocked kick, fumble, or interception the length of the field for two points of its own. The play is officially called a "try safety" or "conversion return" in the rulebook.
Though rare, these swings can shift momentum instantly. The score is always two points regardless of whether the offense had lined up for one or two.
Perhaps the most obscure scoring play, the fair-catch kick allows a team to attempt a field goal after making a fair catch of a punt. The kick is taken from the spot of the catch with the defense standing ten yards away, similar to a kickoff.
No snap or rush is involved, so accuracy is the only concern. The clock starts when the ball is kicked. Despite being in the rules since the early 1900s, successful fair-catch kicks are exceedingly uncommon in modern NFL play.
While strategy dictates which option a coach selects, the scoring system remains straightforward once committed to memory.
In the regular season, overtime is a 10-minute period with modified sudden-death rules. A touchdown on the opening drive ends the game, yet a field goal only guarantees the opponent one possession to answer.
All scoring methods remain valid, but coaches often play conservatively, valuing field position because a single score can decide the outcome.
Each point on the scoreboard tells a story of strategy, execution, and sometimes pure chance. Knowing every possible scoring path adds depth to the viewing experience and reveals why seemingly small moments in field position or clock management matter so much.
Whether you are tracking spread differentials, coaching youth football, or simply want to impress friends on Sunday, understanding the full menu of NFL scoring options is essential knowledge for any dedicated fan.
