How many points is a field goal after a touchdown football?
A field goal is worth 3 points. That value doesn’t change just because it comes after a touchdown — but normally you won’t be kicking a field goal immediately after scoring six points. After a touchdown teams get a try for an extra point: a kicked PAT worth 1 point or a scrimmage play for a two-point conversion worth 2 points. So the usual sequence is 6 (touchdown) + 1 (kick) = 7, or 6 + 2 = 8. A standalone field goal, kicked during normal play, always nets 3 points.
Why people mix up “field goal” and “extra point”
The terminology trips folks up because both involve kicks. The post-touchdown kick is officially an extra point (PAT), not a field goal. Field goals are attempted during drives when a team chooses to take three points instead of risking a turnover on downs. The post-touchdown options are purpose-built scoring plays: the short kicked PAT for one point or a play from scrimmage for two. Remembering the standard scoring values — touchdown 6, PAT 1, two-point conversion 2, field goal 3 — clears this up quickly.
How rules differ in pro and college play (and why distance matters)
The points are the same across major leagues, but where the PAT is snapped from changed in recent years to make the kicked attempt more challenging. In the NFL the kick is longer than it used to be, making the one-point try less of a gimmee; college rules also shifted the snap point to increase difficulty and strategic value. Those distance changes don’t alter the point totals — just the odds that coaches will go for one or two, which makes late-game strategy more interesting.
What this means for in-game betting and prop markets
Knowing the difference between a field goal and a PAT is essential when you bet live or on props. Markets like “team to score 7 or 8 points next” or “success on two-point attempts” hinge on the choice a coach makes after a touchdown. Bookmakers price these decisions into odds, and savvy players look for value around fourth-quarter situations and conversion tendencies.
Want an edge? Check team tendencies for going for two in late-game scenarios and monitor kicker accuracy from medium range. If you like action on conversion props, now’s a great moment to stake out boosted odds — limited-time promos often target PAT and two-point markets during big matchups.
Fast examples to lock this in
- Team scores a touchdown and then kicks the PAT: 6 + 1 = 7 total.
- Team scores a touchdown and succeeds on a two-point conversion: 6 + 2 = 8 total.
- Team kicks a field goal later on the drive: that kick adds 3 points, bringing a field-goal drive total to 3.
Also note: if a defense returns a blocked or intercepted conversion back to the opposite end zone, most leagues award 2 points to the returning team — an uncommon but game-changing play.
Wrap-up: field goals are 3 points, but the immediate post-touchdown attempts are separate scoring plays worth either 1 or 2 points. Understanding that distinction gives you clarity for both casual watching and smarter betting decisions, especially when time-limited promos and live lines heat up late in games.