Whether you're a fan in the stands or the player carrying the ball across the goal line, few things in sports are as exciting as seeing a football referee throwing his arms into the air to signify a touchdown being scored. Unlike a goal in soccer or a basket in basketball, though, touchdowns aren't always clear-cut. Often they come down a judgment call by the official, and even still, they sometimes require video reviews.
Points
Regardless of what level of football you're involved with or what league you're playing in, a touchdown is always worth six points. After scoring a touchdown, the scoring team is given two options. They can attempt an extra point, which is a short kick that must go through the upright son the goalpost and is worth 1 point. Or they may try for 2-point conversion, which amounts to one chance to get the ball into the end zone via run or pass from the 3-yard line.
Goal Line
The goal line is the chalk line that stretches across the field -- 53 1/3 yards, to be exact -- marking the point at which a team scores a touchdown by crossing over. While the player scoring the touchdown usually crosses the goal line himself, that's not what determines whether or not a touchdown has been scored; the ball's location is the determinant. This is why you will often see players stretch out while being tackled short of the goal line, trying to reach the ball so that it crosses the plane of the goal line.
End Zone
The endzone is the rectangular-shaped area that is located beyond the the goal line. An NFL end zone is 10 yards deep and the same width as the rest of the field. For a player to score a touchdown, the ball must cross the plane in his possession or he must catch a pass in the end zone. But pass-catchers must also establish possession of the ball to score a touchdown. If a receiver catches the ball in the end zone but both feet don't land in bounds before any part of his body touches out of bounds, it's not a catch or a touchdown.
Nullified Touchdowns
Sometimes, a touchdown one minute is zero points the next. That's because the NFL allows for instant replay reviews at all of its games. A crew of off-field officials sites in a review booth for the purpose of reviewing questionable plays. If the reviewing officials find that the ball did not cross the goal line or a receiver landed out of bounds, the touchdown will be nullified and the points stricken from the scoreboard.
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