Touchdown in American Football

Touchdown in American Football is the act of touching a football to the ground behind an opponent's goal. Specifically the act of scoring six points in American football by being lawfully in possession of the ball on, above, or behind an opponent's goal line when the ball is declared dead.

Touchdowns are acceptable when:

1. The ball is on, above, or behind the plane of the opponents’ goal line (extended) and is in possession of a runner who has advanced from the field of play into the end zone

2. A ball in possession of an airborne runner is on, above, or behind the plane of the goal line, and some part of the ball passed over or inside the pylon

3. A ball in player possession touches the pylon, provided that, after contact by an opponent, no part of the player’s body, except his hands or feet, struck the ground before the ball touched the pylon

4. Any player who is legally inbounds catches or recovers a loose ball (3-2-4) that is on, above, or behind the opponent’s goal line

5. The Referee awards a touchdown to a team that has been denied one by a palpably unfair act.

A touchdown is worth six (6) points.