How much is a touchdown worth? The simple answer is 6 points. In American football, scoring a touchdown, by carrying or catching the ball into the opponent’s end zone, gives your team 6 points right away. But the scoring does not stop there. After a touchdown, the team gets a bonus try: a 1-point extra-point kick or a 2-point conversion. That is why a single touchdown drive can end up being worth 6, 7, or 8 points on the scoreboard. It is different from a field goal, a safety, or other scores, and it is the most valuable standard play in the game. Let’s break down exactly how it all adds up.
How Much Is a Touchdown Worth?
Let’s nail down the core number first. A touchdown, on its own, is worth 6 points. Those 6 points are awarded the moment the ball crosses into the end zone with possession, before any extra-point try happens. The touchdown and the bonus try are two separate scoring plays.
So why do people sometimes say a touchdown is “worth 7” or even “8”? Because of what comes next. After the 6-point touchdown, the scoring team attempts a try, and the result changes the total. Here is the simple math:
Touchdown only equals 6 points. Touchdown plus a made extra-point kick equals 7 points. Touchdown plus a successful two-point conversion equals 8 points.
So when someone casually says a touchdown is “seven points,” they are really combining the 6-point touchdown with the 1-point kick that usually follows. The touchdown itself, though, is always 6.
Why Is a Touchdown Worth 6 Points?
Football scoring was not always this way. In the sport’s early days, a touchdown was actually worth fewer points, and kicking was emphasized more. Over time, the rules evolved, and by 1912 the touchdown settled at its modern value of 6 points. The reason it is the biggest standard score is simple: reaching the end zone is the hardest and most valuable thing an offense can do. A field goal is a backup plan. A touchdown is the main goal, so it earns the most points.
How Many Points Is a Touchdown With an Extra Point?
The most common result you will see is 6 + 1 = 7 points. Here is how it works. Right after scoring a touchdown, the team lines up for an extra-point attempt, where the kicker boots the ball through the uprights. If it is good, the team adds 1 point, bringing the drive’s total to 7.
This kick is commonly called the PAT, short for Point After Touchdown. It is a quick, high-percentage play, which is why teams choose it most of the time. Just remember, the touchdown and the extra point are counted as separate scoring plays. The touchdown bank 6 points, and the PAT adds 1 more on top.
Is a Touchdown Always Worth 7 Points?
No, and this is a common mix-up. The touchdown by itself is always worth 6 points, never 7. The final total for that possession can be 6, 7, or 8 points, depending entirely on what happens with the try. Miss the extra point, and the drive stays at 6. Make it, and you reach 7. Go for two and succeed, and you land at 8. The touchdown’s value never changes; only the bonus does.
How Much Is a Touchdown With a Two-Point Conversion Worth?
When a team wants more, it goes for 6 + 2 = 8 points. Instead of kicking the easy extra point, the team keeps its offense on the field and attempts a two-point conversion. This means running or passing the ball into the end zone one more time from close range, just like a mini touchdown play. Succeed, and the team earns 2 points instead of 1, pushing the total to 8.
Picture a scoreboard: a team scores a touchdown to go up by 6, then converts the two-point try to lead by 8. That extra point can be the difference in a tight game.
When Do Teams Go for Two Points?
Teams usually go for two based on the score and the game situation. Late in a close game, a coach might do the math and realize that 2 points, rather than 1, is exactly what the team needs to tie, take the lead, or force a specific margin. Point differentials drive these decisions, and coaches often rely on charts and analytics, the kind broken down by outlets like ESPN, to decide. The kick is safer, but sometimes one point simply is not enough.
How Does a Team Score a Touchdown?
A touchdown is always worth 6 points, but there are several ways to get there. Let’s look at the main ones.
Offensive Touchdown
This is the classic version. An offensive touchdown happens when a team’s offense gets the ball into the end zone, either by a player running it across the goal line or by catching a pass while in the end zone. As long as the player has possession and breaks the plane of the goal line, it counts for 6 points.
Defensive Touchdown
The defense can score too. If a defender intercepts a pass or recovers a fumble and returns it all the way to the opponent’s end zone, that is a defensive touchdown. And here is the key point: a defensive touchdown is worth the same 6 points as an offensive one. After it, the defensive team’s offense comes on for the extra-point try.
Special Teams Touchdown
Special teams add even more excitement. A player can score a touchdown by returning a kickoff or a punt all the way to the end zone, or by scooping up a blocked kick and taking it in. Every one of these is still worth 6 points, just like any other touchdown. No matter how you reach the end zone, the reward is the same.
How Much Is a Touchdown Worth Compared With Other Football Scores?
To really understand the touchdown’s value, it helps to see it next to every other way to score. Here is a simple comparison.
| Scoring Play | Points |
|---|---|
| Touchdown | 6 |
| Extra point | 1 |
| Two-point conversion | 2 |
| Field goal | 3 |
| Safety | 2 |
Now the picture is clear. The touchdown is the most valuable standard scoring play by a wide margin. A field goal, worth 3 points, is kicked through the uprights when a team cannot reach the end zone, so it earns half a touchdown’s value. A safety, worth 2 points, is a rarer play where the defense tackles a ball-carrier in his own end zone. Teams stack these scores throughout a game to build their final total, but the touchdown always does the heaviest lifting. For a deeper look at one of the rarest scoring plays, check out this guide to the 2-point safety in football.
Does a Touchdown Count Differently in the NFL and College Football?
Good news for beginners: a touchdown is worth 6 points in both the NFL and college football. That value does not change between the two levels. What can differ are some of the procedural rules around the try that follows.
For example, the spot of the extra-point kick and the two-point attempt is not identical everywhere. In the NFL, the extra-point kick is snapped from the 15-yard line, while in college the try is snapped from a different spot closer to the goal line. According to the official NFL rules, these details shape the try, but they do not change the touchdown’s core value. So do not confuse the value of the touchdown itself, always 6, with the rules governing the bonus attempt.
Touchdown Scoring in Other Football Codes
One quick clarification to avoid confusion: this article is about American football. Other sports called “football” score completely differently. Rugby uses “tries” worth different point values, and association football, known as soccer in the United States, simply counts goals worth one point each. So when we say a touchdown is worth 6 points, we mean American football specifically.
What Happens After a Touchdown?
Ever wonder about the exact sequence? Here is how it unfolds. First, a player scores the touchdown by getting the ball into the end zone. Second, the officials confirm the play, sometimes with a replay review to make sure possession and the goal line were both satisfied. Third, the scoring team chooses its strategy, either the extra-point kick or the two-point conversion. Fourth, the team attempts that try. Fifth, a kickoff follows, handing the ball to the other team.
And if the try fails? Nothing is added beyond the original 6 points. The score stays at 6 for that drive, and play moves on to the kickoff. The touchdown still counts fully; only the bonus point is lost.
Can a Touchdown Be Worth More Than 8 Points?
In almost every case, the most a single touchdown sequence can produce is 8 points, from a touchdown plus a two-point conversion. That is the normal ceiling.
There is one rare wrinkle worth knowing, though. During a conversion attempt, the defense can actually score. If the defending team blocks the kick or grabs a turnover on the try and returns it to the opposite end zone, it earns 2 points of its own. There is even an almost unheard-of play called a one-point safety. But these are points scored by the defense during the try, not extra value added to the original touchdown. The touchdown itself remains 6 points, no matter what happens next.
What Is the Most Common Way to Score After a Touchdown?
By far, the most common choice is the traditional one-point extra-point kick. It is quick, reliable, and successful the vast majority of the time, so teams pick it in most situations. The two-point conversion is used far less often, usually saved for moments when the game situation demands those extra points. In the end, strategy and circumstances decide, but if you are watching a typical game, expect to see the kick after most touchdowns.
FAQs About Touchdown Scoring
How many points is a touchdown worth?
A touchdown is worth 6 points in American football. The scoring team can then add 1 point with an extra-point kick or 2 points with a conversion, making the drive worth 6, 7, or 8 total.
Is a touchdown worth 7 points?
The touchdown itself is worth 6 points. It becomes 7 only when the team successfully kicks the extra point afterward. The touchdown and the extra point are two separate scoring plays.
Can a touchdown be worth 8 points?
Yes. A touchdown followed by a successful two-point conversion is worth 8 points total, 6 for the touchdown and 2 for the conversion.
How much is a defensive touchdown worth?
A defensive touchdown is worth 6 points, exactly the same as an offensive touchdown. This happens when a defender returns an interception or fumble to the opponent’s end zone.
Conclusion: How Much Is a Touchdown Worth?
Let’s tie it all together. A touchdown is worth 6 points. Add the extra-point kick, and the drive becomes 7 points. Go for two instead and succeed, and it becomes 8 points. The one constant to remember is this: the touchdown itself is always 6 points, and any additional points come from the bonus try that follows. Whether it is scored by the offense, the defense, or special teams, a touchdown is the biggest standard prize in football, and now you know exactly how much it is worth.
