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How can a defensive team score a touchdown in American football?
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American football
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts during Super Bowl LVII, 2023; the team lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.
In American football, a defensive team can score a touchdown by gaining possession of the ball through an interception or by recovering a fumble and returning it across the opponent’s goal line.1
Additionally, the defense can score two points by returning a failed conversion attempt across the opponent's goal line. While the defense also scores points through a safety—which occurs when they tackle the ball carrier behind his own goal line—this is distinct from a touchdown.1