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In gridiron football, the conversion (officially known as the try in American football and called the convert in Canadian football) is a play that occurs immediately after a touchdown has been scored. After the touchdown, the scoring team is given a single untimed and unnumbered down near the goal line. The conversion ends when points have been scored or the ball becomes dead. Following the conversion attempt, the team that attempted it typically kicks the ball off to the opposing team. The conversion developed from and is analogous to the conversion after the try in rugby football, but several major differences separate the two, including the amount of points the conversion is worth, the location the conversion is attempted, and the methods by which conversion can be scored.

In most forms of gridiron football, a field goal scored on the conversion is worth one point (known as the extra point, point after touchdown, or PAT) and a touchdown scored on the conversion is worth two points (known as the two-point conversion or two-point convert). In some leagues it is also possible to score a safety, which is worth one point (commonly known as the conversion safety or one-point safety). Some leagues allow the team that conceded the touchdown to score on the conversion through a defensive two-point conversion or a defensive conversion safety, although the latter has never happened in the history of the sport. Some leagues have adopted alternative rules on the conversion, such as altering the point value or eliminating the option to kick.

History

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Value of the touchdown and conversion in American college football
Era Touchdown Conversion (field goal) Conversion (touchdown) Conversion (safety) Conversion (defensive touchdown)
1883[1] 2 4 – – –
1883–1897[2] 4 2 – – –
1898–1911[3] 5 1 – – –
1912–1921[4] 6 1 – – –
1922–1957[5] 6 1 1 – –
1958–1987[6] 6 1 2 1 –
1988-present[7] 6 1 2 1 2
 
A "goal from touchdown" being attempted in a college football game in 1904.

The early rules of gridiron football were heavily derived from rugby football. In the late 1800s, both rugby and football emphasized scoring goals; in rugby at the time, the only thing awarded by the try was a conversion (an opportunity to kick at goal), and gridiron football adopted a similar rule with the touchdown.[8] In 1883, the first modern scoring system in American college football was adopted: conversions were worth four points while touchdowns were worth two points. Over time, the value of the conversion was reduced and the value of the touchdown increased; by 1912, the touchdown was worth six points and the conversion was only worth one in American football. This same format was adopted in Canadian football in 1956.

That same year conversions were reduced to two points and touchdowns increased to four, and in 1898 touchdowns were increased to five points and conversions reduced to one. The touchdown was increased to 6 points in 1912 in college football, where it has remained ever since; Canadian football adopted the same point structure in 1956.

In order to try and dissuade tie games, which were becoming increasingly common, the NCAA changed the values of the conversion in 1958: a field goal or safety scored on the conversion would be worth one point, while a touchdown scored on the conversion would be worth two points. The American Football League (AFL) adopted the two-point conversion as well during its ten-year existence prior to merging with the National Football League (NFL) in 1970, but it was not adopted in the NFL until 1994; the league hoped the two-point conversion would discourage teams from kicking field goals. The Canadian Football League adopted two-point conversions in 1975.

 
An extra point being attempted at the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship.

Canadian football developed alongside American football, but some rule differences separate the two sports. The Ontario Rugby Football Union adopted rules in 1883 giving four points for a touchdown, which was known then as the try, and four points for a conversion, known as the goal from try. Intercollegiate Canadian teams reduced the value of the conversion to two points and the Canadian Rugby Union followed suit in 1891. In 1904 the touchdown was increased to five points and the conversion reduced to one, and the touchdown was finally increased to six points in 1956. The two-point conversion was introduced in 1975, after the NCAA adopted it but before the NFL did.[9] The Canadian Football League (CFL) made major changes to the conversion in 2015; moving extra point attempts back to the 20-yard line while moving two-point conversion attempts forward to the two-yard line; the NFL adopted a similar rule later that year, with extra point attempts being moved to the 15-yard line while two-point conversion attempts remained at the two-yard line.[10]

Strategy

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Extra point attempts tend to be much more successful than two-point conversion attempts. From 2011 to 2014, NFL teams made 99.5% of their extra point attempts and college teams made 96.2% of extra point attempts.[11] In contrast, NFL teams only made 47.9% of two-point conversion attempts from 2001 to November 2016.[12] Because extra point attempts have been seen as almost automatic, they are chosen a majority of the time. From 2002 to 2017, two-point conversion attempts represented less than 10% of conversion attempts in the NFL.[13] Both the CFL and NFL have seen an increase in two-point conversion attempts following rule changes that moved the distance an extra point conversion is attempted at to be further back from the goalposts; because extra points became slightly less likely, more teams became willing to attempt a two-point conversion.[10][13]

Rules and point value

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American football

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In the NFL and college football, both teams can potentially score on the try,[14][15] while in high school football only the offense can score.[16] Points are awarded as follows:

  • A touchdown scored on the try is worth two points.[14][15][16] This is commonly known as the two-point conversion.[17]
  • A field goal scored on the try is worth one point.[14][15][16] This is commonly known as the extra point.[17]
  • A safety scored on the try is worth one point.[14][15][16] This is commonly known as the one-point safety[17] or conversion safety[18] and is exceptionally rare; only two one-point safeties have been recorded in the NCAA NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) since 1996, and none have been recorded in the NFL since at least 1940.[19]

The location at which the try is attempted varies depending on the league:

  • In the NFL, the try is attempted on the 15-yard line if an extra point is going to be attempted (this applies for both place kicks and drop kicks) and at the two-yard line if a two-point conversion is going to be attempted. The offense can choose where between the inbound lines (hash marks) the ball will be placed.[14]
  • In college football and high school football, the try is attempted from the three-yard line. The offense can choose where between the hash marks the ball will be placed.[15][16]

Canadian football

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In Canadian football, both teams can potentially score on the convert.[20]

  • A touchdown scored on the covert is worth two points; this is called the two-point convert.[21] The ball is placed on the 2-yard line for two-point convert attempts, and the team attempting the convert can choose where between the hash marks to place the ball.[20]
  • A field goal scored on the convert is worth one point; this is called the extra point.[21] The ball is placed on the 25-yard line for extra point attempts, and the team attempting the convert can choose where between the hash marks to place the ball.[20]

Variations

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Some codes of gridiron football award different point values for the conversion:

  • In arena football, one point was awarded for place-kicked field goals on the try while two points were awarded for touchdowns and drop kicked field goals.[22]
  • In six-man football and many youth football leagues, including Pop Warner Little Scholars, the ordinary scoring values on the try are flipped; two points are awarded for field goals and one point is awarded for touchdowns.[23][24]
  • The World Football League (WFL), which operated in 1974 and 1975, featured an "action point" attempt that could be scored by run or pass only;[25] the NFL and American Football League (AFL) had experimented with a similar idea (known as the "pressure point") during inter-league preseason games in 1968,[26] The Alliance of American Football (AAF) adopted this rule during their first and only season in 2019, with each score being worth two points instead of one.[27]
  • The XFL, which played for one season in 2001, awarded a single point for a successful conversion that could be scored by run or pass; both the offense and defense could score this point.[28] By the playoffs, the league had added options to attempt the conversion from further out for additional points, with a successful conversion from the five-yard line awarding two points and a successful conversion from the 15-yard line awarding three points.[29] This rule was carried over in the 2020 revival of the XFL, but the three-point conversion was moved forward to the 10-yard line.[30]

Resuming play after a conversion

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Following the conversion, the team that attempted the conversion must kick the ball off to the opposing team; in Canadian football and high school American football, the opposing team also has the option to kick off themselves. However, if the try is attempted with no time remaining in the 2nd or 4th quarters, there isn't a kickoff following the conversion attempt and the game either goes to halftime or ends.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Nelson 1993, p. 31.
  2. ^ Nelson 1993, p. 33.
  3. ^ Nelson 1993, p. 59.
  4. ^ Nelson 1993, p. 60.
  5. ^ Nelson 1993, p. 158.
  6. ^ Nelson 1993, p. 385.
  7. ^ Nelson 1993, p. 386-387.
  8. ^ Steele, David (August 21, 2015). "Extra points a leftover from football's origins". Sporting News. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  9. ^ "Canadian Football Timelines (1860-2005)" (PDF). Football Canada. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 9, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  10. ^ a b Waldstein, David (August 15, 2015). "As N.F.L. Prepares for Longer Extra Points, C.F.L. Offers a Preview". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 23, 2015. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  11. ^ Staples, Andy (May 26, 2015). "Should college football adopt the NFL's PAT rule? Punt, Pass & Pork". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on September 29, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  12. ^ Stuart, Chase (November 15, 2016). "More NFL Teams Are Going For Two — Just As They Should Be". FiveThirtyEight. Archived from the original on October 11, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  13. ^ a b Greenburg, Neil (October 9, 2018). "In the 2018 NFL season, two is the new one". Washington Post. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  14. ^ a b c d e 2018 Official Playing Rules of the National Football League, pp. 42-43.
  15. ^ a b c d e NCAA Football 2011 and 202 Rules and Interpretations, pp. FR77-FR79.
  16. ^ a b c d e 2011 NFHS Football Rules, pp. 65-66.
  17. ^ a b c Mather, Victor (September 10, 2015). "N.F.L. Team Scoring Just 1 Point? Now It's Possible". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 31, 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  18. ^ Kratch, James (September 13, 2015). "How the NFL's new extra point rules have created a 1-point score". NJ.com. Archived from the original on February 12, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  19. ^ Bialik, Carl (January 3, 2013). "In Praise of the One-Point Safety". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on February 12, 2013. Retrieved March 9, 2013.
  20. ^ a b c CFL Official Playing Rules 2018, pp. 31.
  21. ^ a b The Canadian Press (April 8, 2015). "CFL moves back extra point to 32-yard line". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  22. ^ "AFL 101". Arena Football League. Archived from the original on November 18, 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  23. ^ Wek, Nick (January 24, 2017). "A Few Basic Rules of Six-Man Football". South Dakota Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on October 2, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  24. ^ "PAT Kicks in Youth Football". Winning Youth Football. March 24, 2011. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  25. ^ Inabinett, Mark (June 11, 2018). "Before the AAF, the WFL's Americans and Vulcans played at Legion Field". The Birmingham News. Archived from the original on September 23, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  26. ^ Ford, Mark. "25 Significant "Meaningless" NFL Games" (PDF). The Coffin Corner. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  27. ^ Schwartz, Nick (March 21, 2018). "How the new 'Alliance of American Football' rules will differ from the NFL". USA Today. Archived from the original on April 21, 2019. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  28. ^ "No Fair Catches". WWE. January 16, 2001. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  29. ^ Gaine, Chris (January 5, 2017). "7 Reminders of How Ridiculous the XFL Was". Complex. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  30. ^ Florio, Mike (April 8, 2019). "XFL to use one-, two-, three-point conversions". ProFootballTalk. Archived from the original on May 27, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2021.

References

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