Touchdown

gridiron football · scoring · end zone

What is it?. A touchdown happens when a player has the ball and any part of it crosses into the opponent's end zone (the area at the end of the field). It's worth 6 points and is the biggest single score you can get in football.

Many ways to score. You can get a touchdown by running with the ball, catching a pass, returning a kickoff or punt, or even recovering a fumble in the end zone. The method doesn't matter, just getting that ball into the end zone.

The key rule. A player must be holding the ball when any part of it reaches the end zone, and they can't be down yet (meaning they haven't been tackled). If both things are true, it's a touchdown.

After the touchdown. Once you score a touchdown, your team gets 6 points and gets to try for extra points with a special kick (1 point) or another play from close range (2 points).