Total Pro Sports
The Atlanta Falcons stirred up some unexpected chatter online this week, not for a roster move or a training camp highlight, but because of jersey numbers. After a photo surfaced featuring NFL players in No. 34 and No. 1, one wise guy chimed in, warning to stay sharp- after all, even a 34-1 lead isn’t totally safe.
It was a snarky callback to the infamous 28-3 collapse, but also a weirdly accurate reminder that, yes, in football, a 34-1 score is theoretically possible. Not probable. But possible. And that “1” isn’t a typo- it could happen under one of the NFL’s most obscure rules: the one-point safety.
The rule has been in the NFL rulebook since 2015, when the league adopted a college football regulation allowing defenses to score two points on a botched extra-point or two-point try if they return the ball to the opposite end zone. But the one-point version is far rarer and stranger.
Here’s how it could unfold: a team scores a touchdown, lines up for a one-point kick, the kick gets blocked, the defending team picks it up and runs it back, fumbles before the end zone, the kicking team recovers, retreats into their own end zone, and gets tackled there. That, bizarrely, results in one point for the defense.
Yes, it's possible for an NFL team to score only one point. It's been possible since 2015. https://t.co/tB4pBgGCno
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) June 5, 2025
No NFL game has ever seen this scenario play out, but it remains a legal scoring possibility. While fans love quirky football trivia, this one didn’t exactly land well with everyone.
“Highly unlikely. Particularly given the scenario you outlined,” one fan replied on X, sounding more bored than impressed.
Highly unlikely. Particularly given the scenario you outlined. 🤨
But not impossible. 😜
— Buffalo Expat (@olaffubny) June 5, 2025
“Just say this is not happening and move on to other more important matters, smdh,” another chimed in, clearly over the discussion.
Just say this is not happening and move on to other more important matters, smdh
— StangGT (@FiveOStangGT) June 5, 2025
“Are you still yammering on about this?” someone else added, summing up the sentiment of those exhausted by the joke.
Are you still yammering on about this?
— Me (@whoopazz6969) June 5, 2025
Still, the NFL has leaned into this kind of niche interest before, especially with the rise of Scorigami- the pursuit of unique, never-before-seen final scores. A 34-1 result would be the holy grail for Scorigami fans, even if it remains buried deep in the realm of “what if.”
For now, the Falcons just can’t seem to post jersey photos without someone turning it into a math problem with trauma attached.
Also Read: What Is Scorigami? A Look At The NFL’s Unique Scoring Phenomenon
