There are usually at least two kickoffs in a football game: one to start each half. The final number is often higher because teams also kick off after touchdowns and field goals.
The exact count depends on how often teams score, whether the game goes to overtime, and the rules of the league. Here’s how kickoffs fit into a game, when they happen, and how to count them without confusing them with punts or other free kicks.
How many kickoffs are in a football game?
In a standard American football game, there are at least two kickoffs during regulation. One begins the first half, and another begins the second half after halftime.
That is the starting count, not necessarily the final total. A kickoff also follows most touchdowns and field goals, so a game with several scores can have many more than two. Overtime may add another kickoff in some leagues, while other formats begin overtime without one.
For example, if a game has four touchdowns and two field goals, the scoring teams will generally kick off after those six scoring plays. Add the opening kickoff and the second-half kickoff, and the game has eight kickoffs, assuming no overtime and no unusual ruling. The key is to count scoring events, not just halves.
Why does the number change during a game?
A kickoff is the method used to put the ball in play at the start of a half and, in most cases, after a team scores. Every scoring play does not automatically mean a kickoff, however. The scoring team’s next action depends on the type of score and the applicable rules.
Touchdowns and field goals
After a touchdown, the scoring team attempts an extra point or a two-point conversion. Once that scoring sequence is complete, the scoring team usually kicks off to the opponent. The extra point itself does not create a separate kickoff; it is part of the touchdown sequence.
A field goal is also generally followed by a kickoff. The opponent receives the ball, unless the kicking team chooses a permitted alternative, such as an onside kick. An onside kick is still a kickoff, even though the kicking team hopes to recover the ball.
Safeties are different
A safety usually does not lead to a kickoff. The team that gave up the safety puts the ball back in play with a free kick, often called a safety kick. It is a kicking play, but it is not the standard kickoff used to begin a half or restart after most scores.
This distinction matters if you are counting only kickoffs. A box score or broadcast may describe the play as a kick, but the type of restart can differ. For a quick estimate, count the two half-opening kickoffs and the kickoffs following touchdowns and field goals, then check whether any score was a safety.
What determines the kickoff count?
The final number comes from a few simple factors: the two halves, the scoring plays, and any overtime rules. Teams can also choose different legal ways to kick off after scoring, but that choice does not always change whether the play counts as a kickoff.
- Start with two. Count one kickoff for the start of each half.
- Add scoring kickoffs. Add one after each touchdown sequence and each field goal, unless a special rule or alternative restart applies.
- Remove safety restarts from your kickoff total. A safety is ordinarily followed by a free kick rather than a kickoff.
- Check for overtime. Some leagues use an overtime kickoff; others start possessions from a set field position.
This is a practical way to estimate the count while watching. If you need the exact number from a completed game, a play-by-play record is more reliable because unusual penalties, replay decisions, or league-specific rules can affect the sequence.
Kickoffs by game situation
| Situation | What usually happens | Does it count as a kickoff? | Best way to count it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start of the first half | One team kicks the ball to the other | Yes | Add one |
| Start of the second half | The team that did not kick to start the game usually receives the choice or kick, depending on the rules | Yes | Add one |
| After a touchdown | The scoring sequence is followed by a kickoff in most standard formats | Yes | Add one for the restart, not for the extra-point attempt |
| After a field goal | The scoring team usually kicks off | Yes | Add one |
| After a safety | The team that conceded points takes a free kick | No, not usually | Track it separately as a safety kick |
| Overtime | The format differs by league and competition | Sometimes | Check that competition’s overtime procedure |
Do all football leagues use the same overtime kickoff rules?
No. Overtime procedures vary, so there is no single kickoff count that applies to every football game. In some professional formats, overtime begins with a kickoff. In many college and high school formats, teams instead start from a designated field position and take turns trying to score.
In college football, overtime periods typically begin with each team getting a possession from a specified yard line. That means an overtime period does not begin with a kickoff. High school overtime commonly uses a similar possession-based approach, though the exact procedure can depend on the governing rules.
In the NFL, overtime starts with a kickoff. The game’s length and the rules for possessions and ending overtime can depend on whether it is a regular-season or postseason game and on the current rule set. An overtime game might therefore have one additional kickoff, or the overtime sequence might continue without another one if the game ends after the opening possession.
When someone asks how many kickoffs are in “a football game,” they may mean the NFL, college football, or another version. The safest short answer is two or more for a standard American football game, with the final count affected by scoring and overtime rules.
Kickoff, punt, and free kick: what is the difference?
These terms all involve a kick, but they describe different plays. Mixing them up can lead to a wrong count, especially when you are following a game log or explaining how possession changed.
- Kickoff: Starts a half or usually restarts play after a touchdown or field goal. The receiving team can catch the ball, return it, or let it become a touchback under the applicable rules.
- Punt: Usually happens on fourth down when a team gives the ball to the opponent rather than trying to keep possession. It is a scrimmage play, not a kickoff.
- Free kick: A category of kick with no ordinary snap to start the play. A kickoff is one kind of free kick. A safety kick is another situation and is typically counted separately from standard kickoffs.
A punt does not add to the kickoff total, even though both plays can send the ball downfield. Similarly, a field-goal attempt is not a kickoff. If the attempt is successful, the restart that follows is the kickoff.
What happens on an onside kick?
An onside kick is a kickoff designed to give the kicking team a chance to recover the ball before the opponent secures possession. Teams often try one when they need another possession late in a game, but it can also be used in other situations where the rules allow it.
For counting purposes, an onside kick is one kickoff. It replaces the usual kickoff after a score; it is not an extra play that should be counted separately. Whether the kicking team recovers the ball does not change the type of kick.
Onside kicks have eligibility, distance, and formation requirements that vary with the rules in force. Do not assume that a familiar tactic is allowed in precisely the same way across professional, college, and high school football. The basic counting point stays simple: if it is the restart kick after a score, count one kickoff.
Common kickoff-counting mistakes
The most common mistake is treating two as the total for every game. Two is the regulation baseline for starting the halves. It does not account for the restarts after scores.
Other errors come from counting every kind of kick as a kickoff or counting multiple parts of one scoring sequence separately. Use these distinctions to avoid an inflated or inaccurate total:
- Do not count an extra point as a kickoff. The kickoff comes after the touchdown’s scoring sequence.
- Do not count punts. A punt is a different play and usually occurs on fourth down.
- Do not treat a safety kick as a standard kickoff. It is normally a free kick after a safety.
- Do not assume overtime adds a kickoff in every league. Some overtime formats start from a field position instead.
- Do not count an onside attempt twice. It is a kickoff, even if the kicking team tries to recover it.
One useful detail that often gets overlooked: a game can have very few kickoffs even when the score changes, if the scoring event does not produce the usual restart. A safety is the clearest example. That is why the score alone is not enough to calculate an exact total; the kind of scoring play matters too.
How to count kickoffs in a finished game
If you want an exact count rather than a quick estimate, follow the play sequence. A game’s final score will tell you how many points each team scored, but it will not show whether those points came from touchdowns, field goals, or safeties.
- Find the opening kickoff. It begins the first half.
- Find the second-half kickoff. It begins play after halftime.
- Review each touchdown. Count the kickoff that follows the extra-point or conversion sequence.
- Review each made field goal. Count the ensuing kickoff when the rules call for one.
- Separate safeties from other scores. Record a safety kick separately rather than automatically adding a standard kickoff.
- Review overtime. Identify whether the competition begins overtime with a kickoff or a set-field-position possession.
- Check the play-by-play for exceptions. A penalty, unusual restart, or rule-specific choice can affect what actually happened.
This method is more dependable than multiplying touchdowns by a set number or guessing from the final score. For a casual conversation, “at least two, plus the kickoffs after most scores” is usually enough. For a precise statistic, count the actual plays in the game record.
So, how many kickoffs should you expect?
Expect two kickoffs as the regulation starting point, then add the kickoffs that follow scoring plays. A low-scoring game may stay close to that baseline, while a game with several touchdowns and field goals will usually have more.
There is no fixed maximum that applies to every game. The total depends on how often teams score, whether a score is a safety, whether overtime occurs, and which league’s rules govern the game. The useful distinction is between the two kickoffs that start the halves and the additional restarts created by scoring.
For how many kickoffs are in a football game, the simplest answer is two or more. Two start the halves, and most touchdowns and field goals lead to another kickoff; a safety and overtime can change the count.
To count a specific game, start with the two half-opening plays and then check the play-by-play after each score. Keep punts and safety kicks separate so your total reflects actual kickoffs.