What exactly is an NFL Touchdown?

Question

I don't watch American Football, used to but not much now-a-days.

The question I have is:

Why does a player not have to TOUCH DOWN in the end zone in order for the points to count?

I don't remember if it's always been this way or not but tonight I was watching the BRONCOS

at the FALCONS and on one of the plays, the first score I think, all the player had to do was break the line and have part of his body over the goal.

I mean, if that's the case what does Touch DOWN mean? Because they're not touching anything.

Rules are rules but I just wanted to know if it's always been like this or what. Never have been a huge fan, just curious.

* The guy jumped on top of the pile and barely broke the goal line. Touchdown?! ..wtf?

Answer 1

Favorite Answer

The object of the game is to get the ball to cross the goal line, not necessarily the players body. Once the ball crosses the goal-line, while in possession of a player, a touch down has occurred.

There are exceptions to this rule, though. For passes, the player needs to catch the ball and possess it while touching down with both feet in the endzone in bounds. That makes the term 'touchdown' seem more reasonable.

Source(s): wiki describes it pretty well...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touchdown

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Answer 2

Once the ball breaks the plane of the goaline, it's a touchdown. As long as the player doesn't have his knee or elbow touching the ground first

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Answer 3

A touchdown is what an NFL player does just before he dances and jumps and celebrates like he has just discovered a cure for cancer, instead of hi-fiving a teammate and heading to the sideline like he should. I love to watch the NFL, but all the showboating is kind of annoying.

Source(s): NFL fan

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Answer 4

Touchdown just means the player reached the endzone either by running through it or receiving a pass. That is all. You're over thinking it.

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Answer 5

Touchdown: A scoring in football when you run to the end zone!

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Answer 6

its not about your body its about the ball as long as the ball was in its a TD

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