Twenty years ago today, NFL owners did something ever-so collegiate.
They voted to approve the two-point conversion, as on-this-day.com and the NFL Record & Fact Book point out.
The introduction of the two-point conversion came as part of the NFL’s efforts to increase scoring after a 1993 season in which 18-of-28 teams tallied less than 20 points per game. The NFL also voted to push kickoffs back to the 30-yard-line with an eye on improving starting field position for offenses.
Teams embraced the two-point try right off the bat. Clubs converted 59 attempts in 1994, with Miami leading the NFL with six.
By contrast, the 32 NFL teams converted just 33 two-point tries in 2013. The Bears led the league with five successful conversions.
Still, the two-point try seems likely to be a part of the NFL’s fabric for years and years to come. This is, after all, a league that likes its scoring. To wit: Twenty-five teams scored 20 points or more per game in 2013. And if efforts to make extra points more challenging take hold, the two-point try could become a bigger part of the arsenal for clubs.