Two points in football are most commonly scored via a successful two-point conversion after a touchdown. You can also earn two points in rare situations like a defensive score, but that isn’t a typical “how do you get two points” scenario for the offense. Key ways to get two points:
- Two-point conversion after a touchdown (most common)
- After your team scores a touchdown, you may attempt a play from the opponent’s 2-yard line (NFL) or 3-yard line (college) to get the ball into the end zone again.
- You can run the ball or pass it into the end zone. If successful, your team earns two points.
- If unsuccessful, the score remains the same as after the touchdown plus the standard extra point opportunity is not taken in this case.
- The defense can score two points on the same play if they intercept or recover a fumble and return it to the opposite end zone.
- Defensive or special-teams two-point scores are rare but possible
- A defensive player(s) can tackle the ball carrier in their own end zone on a kickoff or fumble recovery and be credited with two points (a safety on defense’s own end can be part of complex scoring dynamics, but the common two-point avenue for teams is the conversion after a touchdown).
If you’re new to it, here’s a quick recap:
- Touchdown = 6 points.
- After touchdown:
- Kick for 1 extra point (normally called the extra point).
- Or go for a 2-point conversion (run or pass, from a short yardage line).
- A successful 2-point conversion adds 2 points to the team’s total. If it fails, nothing extra is added beyond the touchdown.
Would you like a short example play-by-play for a typical two-point conversion, or a brief comparison of NFL vs college rules on the two-point try?
