Scoring by offense on a blocked extra point

Question

In American football, if an extra point kick is blocked can the offense pick it up and advance it or recover it in the end zone? Would they score 1 point or two? Does it matter where the ball lands after the block (i.e., passing the line of scrimmage vs. not) before it is picked up? Is it different in the NFL vs. college?

What's triggering this question is the 1-point safety rule. I'm trying to figure out what in the world a defender should do about a ball that lands in or near the end zone on a blocked extra point. Why is there any motivation at all to pick that ball up and try to run with it if they might be tackled in the end zone, giving 1 point to the offense?

I've spent an hour researching all the sources I could find, and they discuss all the cases of the defense scoring on a blocked extra point kick, but I can't find a good answer regarding the offense scoring if the offense regains possession.

dly · Accepted Answer

You can go for two points, if you recover the ball and score a Touchdown.
The NFL rules actually include occasions like these since they were changed in 2015 (before this rule change it was only possible to recover the ball in  two point conversions). In College Football it was already possible before.
Rule 11.3.2:

If a Try results in a touchdown by either team, two points are awarded.
If the Try results in what would ordinarily be a safety against either team, one point is awarded to the opponent.

General Fumble after two-minute warning rules apply:

The ball may be advanced by any opponent.
The player who fumbled is the only player of his team who is permitted to recover and advance the ball.
If the recovery or catch is by a teammate of the player who fumbled, the ball is dead, and the spot of the next snap is the spot of the
fumble, or the spot of the recovery if the spot of the recovery is
behind the spot of the fumble.

David Ahlstrom · Answer

I think if the defense recovers in their own endzone, and doesn't run it out, it ends the play (no points). It is only if they run and sweep back into their endzone and get tackled/fumble, then it can be a (1 point) safety against them (defense).

Answered by David Ahlstrom on December 14, 2020

James Dougherty · Answer

I was just looking to see if Browns/Cowboys type play had ever occurred before and came across this....

MAJOR point that everyone seems to have missed is that any offensive kick is a dead ball as far as the kicking team is concerned once it crosses the line of scrimmage unless touched by the defense. <<Using "offensive kick" to specifically differentiate punts, XP, and FG attempts from "free kick" which occurs after scores... aka kickoffs occuring after TD's, FG's and Safeties>> Long story short, the offense cannot recover any blocked kick past the line of scrimmage unless it's touched by defense and the defense is under no obligation to attempt to make a play on the ball and can [and usually should] just allow it to roll dead.

Famous example -- Leon Lett and the "Lett it be" play that cost the Cowboys a game in the early 90s

Scoring by offense on a blocked extra point

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