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What are the Origins of the Football Point System?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

The origins of the American football point system date to versions of rugby played in the US in the 19th century. Walter Camp, who many consider the father of modern football, started a point system where the different types of goal combinations scored against one team were compared to the other team’s goal combinations. This early system was confusing and soon led Camp to rework the point system.

Camp's revised rugby or football point system went as follows:

  • Field goals earned five points
  • Safeties earned one point
  • Touchdowns earned two points
  • Goals scored after a touchdown earned four points.
The scoring system of American football dates back to versions of rugby played during the 19th century.
The scoring system of American football dates back to versions of rugby played during the 19th century.

The system reflected that rugby derived from soccer, and football from rugby. Points made by kicking in a goal were considered of greater value than points scored by running the ball in to score a goal. Recognition existed that goals in a row were hard to achieve and these were awarded accordingly.

In 1897 as modern football really took shape, the football point system was almost aligned with its current scoring system. Touchdowns were given much greater value and were awarded five points, and a second touchdown goal, or extra point was given for a kick after a touchdown. Field goals were only worth three points under the new rules, but these rules changed again in 1912.

A team started earning six points for a touchdown in 1912.
A team started earning six points for a touchdown in 1912.

Touchdowns were given six points, as they are now, and a kick afterward earned a point. A clear shift had been made in emphasis from the kicking game to the running and passing game, and the football point system in the early 20th century reflected this. From 1912 onward, it remained a constant and well understood aspect of the game.

Since the 1912 rules, only one significant scoring feature has been added to the system. This is called the two-point conversion, which occurs after a touchdown has been scored. If the team that has just scored a touchdown can either run or pass the ball into the end zone on the next play, they are awarded two points instead of the one point for kicking the ball through the goalposts.

The two-point conversion adds an element of strategy and risk to football.
The two-point conversion adds an element of strategy and risk to football.

The two-point conversion adds an interesting element of strategy to the football point system. A good quarterback and offense can outscore another team simply by being able to affect these extra two points. It still implies an element of risk, and is usually much harder to achieve than kicking a goal through the goal posts after a touchdown. Many teams don’t even bother with attempting the two-point conversion in the new point system, since the risk of not scoring two points does not outweigh the benefits of scoring one point through a goal kick.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent Sports&Hobbies contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

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Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent Sports&Hobbies contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

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Discussion Comments

anon53092

actually on a conversion attempt (after the touchdown) there are three ways to score points.

Kicking the extra point (1 point).

Running or passing into the end zone on a two-point conversion (2 points).

Or the lesser known way, if a defensive player gains possession of the ball in the field of play, and then is downed inside of the end zone, the kicking team is awarded a one-point safety (1 point).

malena

So, today's football point system allows a team to score points in five ways:

- a touchdown earns 6 points

- an extra point (after a touchdown) earns 1 point

- a two point conversion (also after a touchdown but by running in a play, not kicking the ball through the goal posts) earns, as you can tell by the name, 2 points

- a field goal earns 3 points

- a safety earns 2 points

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    • The scoring system of American football dates back to versions of rugby played during the 19th century.
      By: Melinda Nagy
      The scoring system of American football dates back to versions of rugby played during the 19th century.
    • A team started earning six points for a touchdown in 1912.
      By: Michael Flippo
      A team started earning six points for a touchdown in 1912.
    • The two-point conversion adds an element of strategy and risk to football.
      By: Melinda Nagy
      The two-point conversion adds an element of strategy and risk to football.
    • The point system for football is derived from the style of rugby played in the U.S. in the early 19th century.
      By: Alison Bowden
      The point system for football is derived from the style of rugby played in the U.S. in the early 19th century.
    • Touchdowns earn six points in football.
      By: Brocreative
      Touchdowns earn six points in football.