How Many Points Is a Touchdown Worth?

A touchdown in American football is worth six points. It is scored when a player carries the ball into the opponent's end zone or catches a legal pass there. After the touchdown, the scoring team gets an extra attempt. The common choice is an extra-point kick, which is worth one point. The riskier option is a two-point conversion, where the offense runs or passes from close to the goal line to try to score again. This is why people often say a touchdown is worth seven points in everyday conversation, even though the touchdown itself is worth six. The extra point is separate. Understanding this distinction helps when a team trails by one, two, seven, or eight points late in a game, because coaches may choose different post-touchdown options depending on the score.