A football touchdown occurs when a team advances the ball beyond its opponent’s goal line. Touchdowns come as a result of several types of plays, including running, passing, kick returning and defensive returning. Touchdowns, regardless of how they are scored, are worth 6 points and come with the opportunity to score additional points as a reward for scoring the touchdown.
Basics
When a football team’s offensive unit has possession of the ball, it has four attempts, called downs, to gain at least 10 yards or it must relinquish ball possession to the opposing team. If the offensive unit successfully gains 10 yards in four plays or fewer, it achieves what is known as a first down and is given a new set of four downs to gain another 10 yards. Ultimately, the offensive unit’s objective is to continue gaining first downs until it is able to score a touchdown.
Running Touchdowns
Touchdowns that are the result of a running play, better known as a rushing play, typically are scored by an offensive unit’s running back or quarterback. These plays usually involve the quarterback handing the ball directly to a running back, who maneuvers through gaps and holes created by his blockers while eluding tackle by the defensive unit. Occasionally, the quarterback or a receiving player, known as a wide receiver, will score a rushing touchdown in this same manner. In even rarer situations, a blocking player, known as a lineman, scores a touchdown on a rushing play.
Passing Touchdowns
Touchdowns scored on passing plays are referred to as receiving touchdowns. These types of scores are largely done by wide receivers and usually involve a ball that’s thrown from the quarterback. Occasionally, a running back or wide receiver will throw a pass that results in a touchdown. Receiving touchdowns often occur after a wide receiver has caught a ball and then, similar to a running back, runs the ball into the end zone while eluding would-be tacklers.
Defensive and Kick Returning Touchdowns
While an offensive unit’s main responsibility is to score touchdowns, it is not the only unit that can score one. Touchdowns also can be scored as the result of a punt or kickoff return in which the kick returner has avoided tackle while running the ball into the opposing team’s end zone. Defensive units also can score touchdowns by returning intercepted passes or returning fumbles. Fumbles recovered in the end zone by a defensive or kicking unit also result in a touchdown.
Extra Points
After each touchdown, the scoring team is given the option of kicking a 20-yard field goal for an additional point or, from three yards out, successfully entering the opponent’s end zone using a passing or running play for an additional 2 points. These attempted plays are called extra points or points after touchdown, or PATs.
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