How the play works
After a touchdown, a team can choose to attempt a two-point conversion instead of kicking the standard extra point. The offense lines up at the 2-yard line and runs one play, a run or pass, that must reach the end zone the same way a touchdown does.
Point value comparison
- Extra point kick: 1 point, attempted from the 15-yard line, successful roughly 94% of the time in recent NFL seasons.
- Two-point conversion: 2 points, attempted from the 2-yard line, successful a little under 50% of the time league-wide.
Because a two-point try succeeds less than half the time but pays out double, the expected value of both options is close, which is part of why coaches weigh the decision carefully rather than always kicking.
When coaches go for two
Coaches typically go for two in a few common situations:
- Trailing late and need to catch up faster than one point at a time allows
- Following a two-point chart that recommends going for two after certain touchdowns, based on the current score margin
- High-powered offense, weak field-goal kicker, making the eventual point worth more through the run/pass game than through a kick
Why it isn’t automatic
Going for two on every touchdown would actually lower a team’s expected points over a full game, since the conversion succeeds less often than a kick. The math only favors two points in specific score situations, which is why it remains a situational decision rather than a default choice.