Why Touchdowns Are Worth Six Points

In the beginning, there were field goals, and referees said they were good, but only when they flew over the rope strung between two posts.

Rugby and football in the 1870s were pushing, shoving, and kicking games in which the ball sometimes popped out from the mass of players in the maul, allowing a back to pick it up and run with it. Teams did not receive credit for touchdowns. Instead, touchdowns had value because they led to free kicks, while goals kicked from the field (field goals) were cont...