Quick answer: A touchback is worth zero points. It is not a scoring play at all. When a touchback occurs, no team gains any points instead, the receiving team simply gets the ball at a set yard line and starts a new offensive drive.
If you searched “how many points is a touchback” because you thought it might be worth 2 points, you’re not alone. That confusion almost always comes from mixing it up with a safety a completely different play. We’ll clear that up in detail below.
What Is a Touchback in Football?
A touchback in football happens when the ball becomes dead in the end zone, and the team that would possess it there chooses not to or cannot bring it back into the field of play.
The most common example: a kicker boots a kickoff deep, the ball goes into the end zone, and the returner either catches it and kneels or lets it land. That play is ruled a touchback. No points are awarded. The receiving team simply gets possession of the ball at the designated yard line.
The word “touchback” comes from early American football’s rugby roots, where a player had to physically “touch” the ball “back” behind their own goal line to down it safely. The name stuck even as the rules evolved.
💡 Pro Tip: Touchback situations can actually benefit the receiving team by giving them a predictable starting spot without risking a fumble or a big defensive stop on the return.
How Many Points Is a Touchback? Zero Here’s Why
A touchback scores zero points. It is the opposite of a safety in terms of possession outcome, but like a safety, it often confuses fans who are new to football rules.
Here’s the clean breakdown:
| Play | Points | Who Gets the Ball |
|---|---|---|
| Touchback | 0 | Receiving team (at 25-yard line, NFL) |
| Safety | 2 | Scoring team (opponent kicks off) |
| Touchdown | 6 | Scoring team |
| Field Goal | 3 | Scoring team |
| Extra Point | 1 | Scoring team |
A touchback is simply a possession reset, not a scoring event. The points awarded column for a touchback is always empty.
⚠️ Warning: If you see “2 points” associated with touchbacks anywhere, that’s a mistake or the article is confusing it with a safety. Two points are scored on a safety, not a touchback.
The 6-Path Touchback System: Every Situation That Results in a Touchback
Most fans only know about the kickoff touchback. But there are actually six distinct situations that can result in a touchback under NFL rules. Understanding all of them gives you a much deeper grasp of football rules.
1. Kickoff Touchback (Most Common)
The ball is kicked on a free kick (kickoff), goes into the end zone, and the returner downs it there or the ball lands untouched in the end zone and goes out of bounds behind the goal line. This is the kickoff touchback you see multiple times every game.
Under current NFL rules (updated in 2024 with a new kickoff format), the ball is spotted at the 25-yard line following a touchback. This was changed from the 20-yard line in 2018 specifically to encourage more touchbacks and reduce high-speed collision injuries.
2. Punt Touchback
A punt can also result in a touchback. If the kicking team punts and the ball goes into the end zone without being touched by the receiving team or the returner catches it in the end zone and downs it it’s a touchback. Ball goes to the 25-yard line (NFL) or 20-yard line (college football / NCAA football).
If the ball rolls through the end zone and goes out of bounds behind the end zone, that also results in a touchback.
3. Fair Catch Kick Touchback
After a fair catch is made, the receiving team has the option to attempt a free kick. If that kick attempt goes through the uprights, it scores 3 points but if it misses and the ball goes into the opponent’s end zone, a touchback occurs.
4. Fumble Touchback
A fumble can produce a touchback when an offensive player fumbles the ball into their own end zone and it goes out of bounds, or when the defense recovers the fumble in the offense’s end zone and then the ball becomes dead there without being advanced.
This is one of the most misunderstood touchback situations. The loose ball must die in the end zone for it to qualify.
5. Missed Field Goal Touchback
On field goal attempts, if the kick is wide and the ball goes into the end zone and is downed by the defense, it’s ruled a touchback. The defense gets the ball at the 20-yard line (NFL rule for missed field goal attempts beyond the 20-yard line).
This also applies to field goal attempts that are blocked and recovered in the end zone if the defense downs it there, it’s a touchback.
6. Interception or Pass Touchback
If a defensive player intercepts a pass in their own end zone and then takes a knee (or the ball becomes dead there), that results in a touchback. The defense, now the receiving team, gets the ball at the 25-yard line.
Similarly, if a player catches or intercepts a pass, their original momentum carries them into the end zone, and they’re downed there that can also be ruled a touchback depending on the specifics of the play.
Quick takeaway: A touchback occurs when the ball is dead in the end zone across six different play types. Kickoffs and punts are the most common. The result is always the same zero points, ball placed at the designated yard line.
Touchback vs Safety: The Confusion Explained (2 Points vs 0 Points)
This is the single biggest source of confusion around touchbacks and no wonder. Both plays involve the end zone. But they are complete opposites in outcome.
The Key Difference
A safety is scored when the offensive team is responsible for the ball becoming dead in their own end zone. That awards 2 points to the defense, and the offense must then kick off from their own yard line.
A touchback happens when the defensive or receiving team downs the ball in their own end zone or the ball goes out of bounds there. No points change hands.
| Situation | Play Type | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Offense tackled in own end zone | Safety | 2 |
| Returner kneels on kickoff in end zone | Touchback | 0 |
| QB sacked in own end zone | Safety | 2 |
| Ball goes out of bounds behind the goal line | Touchback | 0 |
| Offense fumbles in own end zone, defense recovers | Safety | 2 |
Think of it this way: a safety punishes the offense. A touchback protects the defense. They look similar but work in reverse.
💡 Pro Tip: A simple memory trick “Safety = someone got stopped doing something bad.” A touchback is neutral. No one scored anything.
Touchback Rules by League: NFL, College, Canadian Football & More
Touchback rules are not universal. Here’s how they differ across football leagues a comparison no competitor fully covers.
| League | Ball Spotted After Touchback | Notable Rule Difference |
|---|---|---|
| NFL | 25-yard line (kickoff/punt) | Changed from 20 to 25 in 2018 |
| NCAA Football (College) | 20-yard line | Still uses 20-yard line |
| Canadian Football | 35-yard line | “Single/Rouge” worth 1 point instead |
| Eight-Man Football | Varies by state association | Texas high school football uses 20-yard line |
| Six-Man Football | Varies | Limited touchback scenarios |
| Arena Football | No traditional touchback | Smaller field changes mechanics entirely |
The Canadian Football Exception: The Rouge/Single
Canadian football has a completely different mechanic. If a kicked ball goes into the end zone and is not returned out resulting in a touchback under American rules the kicking team actually scores 1 point, called a “single” or “rouge.”
This is the most striking difference in the football league landscape. In American football, the receiving team benefits from a touchback. In Canada, it’s the kicking team that gains value from the same situation.
NCAA vs NFL: The 20-Yard Line Difference
In college football, touchbacks on kickoffs and punts are still spotted at the 20-yard line, not the 25. This matters strategically the 5-yard difference means NFL teams have more incentive to take the touchback, while college returners have more incentive to bring the ball out.
Quick takeaway: Always check which league you’re watching. Touchback placement rules differ, and the Canadian Football single rule is completely unique among major football leagues.
Is a Touchback Good or Bad? The Strategic Side
Touchbacks are genuinely strategic not just administrative resets. Here’s how to think about them.
Why the NFL Pushed for More Touchbacks
The NFL has made a series of rule changes over the past 15 years specifically to increase touchback rates:
- 2011: Kickoff moved from the 30-yard line to the 35-yard line, pushing more kicks into the end zone
- 2018: Touchback placement on kickoffs moved from the 20-yard line to the 25-yard line, making it more rewarding to take the touchback
- 2024: New “dynamic kickoff” format all coverage and return players line up differently, changing how touchbacks on kickoffs are incentivized
The NFL’s goal has been player safety. Kickoff returns involve full-speed collisions across a large distance. Encouraging touchbacks reduces those high-injury plays.
According to NFL Football Operations data, kickoff touchback rates climbed from roughly 20% before 2011 to over 60% in recent seasons a direct result of these rule changes.
When Should a Returner NOT Take a Touchback?
Despite the NFL’s push for touchbacks, elite returners sometimes find better field position by running the ball out. A returner who catches the ball 5 yards deep and can reach the 30-yard line gains more than the 25-yard line touchback would offer.
Great returners have always exploited this. Historically, players like Devin Hester and Cordarrelle Patterson regularly turned what looked like certain touchbacks into major returns sometimes going all the way for a touchdown.
The calculation: if a returner can consistently reach beyond the 25-yard line, returning is smarter than taking the touchback. Short of that, the touchback is the safer, higher-percentage play.
💡 Pro Tip: Coaches instruct returners to look for a “four-yard cushion” if the ball is caught 4+ yards deep and the lanes aren’t open, take the touchback every time.
Touchback Placement: Where Does the Ball Go?
Touchback placement depends on the league and the type of play. Here’s the quick reference:
- NFL kickoff or punt touchback → 25-yard line
- NFL missed field goal touchback → 20-yard line (or spot of the kick if beyond the 20)
- NCAA football touchback → 20-yard line
- NFL interception in end zone downed → 25-yard line
- Fumble touchback → 25-yard line (NFL)
The starting field position after a touchback is one of the most tactically important numbers in football. Teams that consistently force touchbacks on kickoffs control the field of play without giving elite returners a chance to flip field position.
Common Touchback Mistakes Even Experienced Fans Make
Even fans who’ve watched for years sometimes get these wrong:
- Thinking a touchback is worth 2 points It’s worth zero. The 2-point play is a safety.
- Assuming the ball always goes to the 20-yard line That’s the NCAA rule. The NFL uses the 25-yard line.
- Believing any kick into the end zone is automatically a touchback The ball must become dead there. If the returner catches it and runs out, it’s a live return. The ball is only dead in the end zone when the returner takes a knee, is tackled, or lets the ball go out of bounds.
- Confusing the Canadian Football single with an American touchback In Canada, a similar play gives the kicking team 1 point. In the US, nobody scores.
- Thinking a touchback ends a drive It actually starts one. The receiving team takes over at the designated yard line with a fresh set of downs.
People Also Ask: Touchback FAQ
Does a touchback count as a score?
No. A touchback scores zero points for either team. It is purely a possession and field position reset.
What happens after a touchback in the NFL?
The ball is placed at the 25-yard line. The receiving team begins their offensive drive with a first down from that spot.
Is a touchback the same as a safety?
No they are essentially opposites. A safety awards 2 points to the defense. A touchback awards no points and gives the ball to the receiving team.
What is a touchback in Canadian football?
In Canadian football, a similar play results in the kicking team scoring 1 point (called a single or rouge), not zero points like in the NFL.
Can a touchback happen on a punt?
Yes. If the punt lands in the end zone and is downed there or goes out of bounds behind the end zone it is ruled a touchback and the receiving team gets the ball at the 25-yard line (NFL) or 20-yard line (college).
Key Takeaways: Everything You Need to Know About Touchback Points
- A touchback is worth 0 points no team scores anything
- It is not a safety (which is worth 2 points)
- In the NFL, the ball is placed at the 25-yard line after a touchback
- In NCAA football (college), the ball goes to the 20-yard line
- Six different situations can result in a touchback: kickoff, punt, fumble, interception, missed field goal, and fair catch kick
- Canadian football is the major exception a similar play awards 1 point to the kicking team
- The NFL has made multiple rule changes since 2011 to increase touchback frequency and improve player safety
- A touchback benefits the receiving team it guarantees predictable field position without the injury risk of a full return
Whether you’re watching NFL football, college football, or trying to explain the rules to someone new to American football, the answer to “how many points is a touchback” is always the same: zero points, every time, in every American football league.
Conclusion
A touchback is worth zero points full stop.
No scoring. No advantage on the board. Just a possession reset, with the ball placed at the 25-yard line (NFL) or 20-yard line (college football).
The only thing that trips people up is confusing it with a safety. Remember:
- 0 points → Touchback
- 2 points → Safety
- 6 points → Touchdown
Next time you watch a kickoff land in the end zone and the returner takes a knee that’s a touchback. Nobody scored. The offense just gets the ball at the 25 and drives from there.
