How many points is a field goal after a touchdown football?
After a touchdown in American football, the extra point attempt (also called a point after touchdown or PAT) is worth exactly one point. This is technically a field goal kicked from the 15-yard line, but it's specifically designed as a nearly automatic scoring opportunity following a touchdown.
Understanding the Extra Point System
The extra point has been a fundamental part of football scoring since the sport's early days. When a team scores a touchdown worth six points, they immediately get the chance to add one more point through this short field goal attempt. The ball is placed at the 15-yard line, making it roughly a 33-yard field goal when accounting for the distance to the goal posts.
This scoring method differs significantly from regular field goals attempted during normal gameplay, which can be worth three points from anywhere on the field. The post-touchdown kick serves as a bridge between the major scoring play and the next possession.
How the Extra Point Process Works
Once a team crosses the goal line for a touchdown, the referee signals the score and prepares for the conversion attempt. The scoring team lines up at the 15-yard line with their special teams unit, including the kicker, holder, and long snapper. The defense can attempt to block the kick, though successful blocks are relatively rare due to the short distance.
The kicking team has a limited amount of time to execute the play, and if the kick goes through the uprights, one point is added to their total score. A missed extra point results in no additional points, and play resumes with the scoring team kicking off to their opponents.
Alternative Scoring Options After Touchdowns
While most teams opt for the traditional extra point kick, football rules also allow for a two-point conversion attempt. Instead of kicking from the 15-yard line, teams can choose to run or pass the ball into the end zone from the two-yard line. Success nets two points instead of one, but the difficulty level increases substantially.
Professional and college teams typically reserve two-point attempts for specific strategic situations, such as late-game scenarios where they need exactly two points to tie or take the lead. The risk-reward calculation usually favors the more reliable one-point kick.
Success Rates and Strategic Considerations
NFL kickers convert extra points at an extremely high rate, typically above 94% in recent seasons. This reliability makes the extra point almost automatic, though weather conditions, pressure situations, and defensive schemes can occasionally impact success rates. College football sees slightly lower conversion rates due to varying skill levels among kickers.
Coaches rarely face difficult decisions regarding extra point attempts, as the one-point reward with minimal risk makes it the obvious choice in most game situations. The predictable nature of extra points allows teams to plan their scoring strategies with confidence.
Historical Context and Rule Changes
The extra point distance has changed over time, with the NFL moving the attempt back from the two-yard line to the 15-yard line in 2015. This change aimed to make extra points slightly more challenging and add strategic elements to post-touchdown decisions. College football maintains different rules, with extra points attempted from the three-yard line.
These rule modifications reflect the sport's ongoing evolution, balancing tradition with the desire to maintain competitive excitement. The one-point value has remained constant throughout these changes, preserving the fundamental scoring structure that fans expect.
The extra point represents one of football's most routine yet important plays, providing teams with a reliable way to maximize their touchdown scoring while maintaining the sport's traditional point values that have defined American football for generations.