Football has borrowed plenty of animal nicknames over the years—Horse-Collar tackles, Hail Mary passes, the Philly Special. Yet the octopus might be the most imaginative creature to crawl onto the gridiron. Coined by Sports Illustrated editor Mitch Goldich in 2019, the term describes a single player who scores a touchdown and the ensuing two-point conversion, personally piling up eight points on one possession.
On paper it sounds simple: cross the goal line twice, rack up eight points. In practice, it’s rare, dramatic, and uniquely suspenseful. Once a touchdown scorer stays on the field for a two-point try, every fan holding an “octopus” betting slip, trivia spreadsheet, or social-media feed leans forward. They know they’re about to watch a moment that happens only a handful of times each season.
The Simple Definition: Eight Points, One Hero
Touchdown + Two = Octopus
- Touchdown (6 points) – The player must personally carry, catch, or return the ball into the end zone.
- Two-Point Conversion (2 points) – On the very next snap, the same player must again break the plane for the conversion.
Passers don’t count unless they run the conversion themselves. Tossing the ball for either score yields zero tentacles because the points are credited to different teammates.
Why “Octopus”?
Eight points, eight tentacles—Goldich’s playful label stuck immediately. Broadcasters now slip it into highlight packages, graphics crews animate smiling cephalopods, and sportsbooks list “Will there be an Octopus?” props alongside coin-toss odds on Super Bowl Sunday.
Where the Term Came From
| Year | Milestone | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | NFL adopts the two-point conversion. First same-player TD + 2-pointer recorded on Sept 11 (Rob Moore & Torrance Small each scored one). | NBC Bay Area |
| 2017–18 | Goldich crowd-sources a catchy name on Twitter; “Octopus” wins out. | SI |
| 2019 | Sports Illustrated publishes the inaugural Octopus column, formalizing the stat. | SI |
| 2020 | Caesars, BetMGM, and others post the first Octopus prop for Super Bowl LIV. | SI |
| 2023 | Broadcasters begin citing Octopus leaderboards on live NFL telecasts. | SI |
Goldich’s original story noted that researchers had already catalogued every instance back to 1994. Soon after, Pro-Football-Reference (PFR) created a live “Octopus Tracker,” turning a one-off joke into a permanent page of record.
How Rare Is an Octopus?
- Total occurrences (1994-2024 regular seasons): ~197
- 188 through August 2024
- +9 more during the 2024-25 regular season
- Average per season: about six.
- Most in one season: 13 (2022).
- Fewest: 1 (2005).
Because two-point attempts remain relatively uncommon—teams chose them on only 12 percent of conversion opportunities in 2024—octopuses stay scarce. Add in injuries, substitutions, and play-calling variety, and the odds shrink further.
2024 Season Snapshot
| Week | Player | Team | TD Type | 2-PT Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Saquon Barkley | Eagles | Rush | Rush |
| 3 | Jakobi Meyers | Raiders | Catch | Catch |
| 4 | Tucker Kraft | Packers | Catch | Catch |
| 8 | Rhamondre Stevenson | Patriots | Rush | Catch |
| 11 | Zach Ertz | Commanders | Catch | Catch |
| 12 | Chuba Hubbard | Panthers | Rush | Rush |
| 13 | Jerry Jeudy | Broncos | Catch | Catch |
| 14 | Bijan Robinson | Falcons | Rush | Rush |
| 15 | Davante Adams | Jets | Catch | Catch |
Famous Octopus Moments
Super Bowl LVII – Jalen Hurts Keeps Philly Alive
In February 2023, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts powered across the goal line and immediately bulldozed in the conversion, tying the championship game at 35-all. Although Kansas City ultimately prevailed, Hurts’s late-game octopus remains the only one ever recorded in a Super Bowl.
Tyler Lockett Wins 2023 “Octopus of the Year”
Seattle’s reliable wideout grabbed a fourth-quarter touchdown on Jan 7, 2024, then snagged the two-pointer seconds later to cap a wild 21-point comeback against Arizona. Sports Illustrated’s annual awards honored Lockett for style points and clutch timing.
Dual Threats and Long-Shots
- Cam Akers (2022): Logged an octopus and 118 rushing yards in the same game.
- Patrick Mahomes (2022): Executed a classic scrambling TD followed by a designed keeper—proof that even superstar passers crave eight-point glory.
- Mark Andrews (2021): Tallied an octopus during Baltimore’s improbable 19-point overtime comeback vs. Indianapolis.
Players and Teams with the Most Octopuses
| Rank | Player | Career Octopuses |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Todd Gurley | 4 |
| 2 | Randy Moss | 3 |
| 2 | Marshall Faulk | 3 |
| 2 | James White | 3 |
| 2 | Jalen Hurts | 3 |
Based on PFR data through 2024
Team Leaders
| Rank | Franchise | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Green Bay Packers | 14 |
| 1 | Minnesota Vikings | 14 |
| 3 | New England Patriots | 12 |
| 4 | Los Angeles Rams | 11 |
| 5 | Philadelphia Eagles | 11 |
Strategy Behind Attempting an Octopus
When Coaches Go for Two
Modern analytics favor two-point tries in three main scenarios:
- Trailing by one after a late TD – trying to snatch the lead.
- Down 14, needing two scores – converting the first sets up a possible win with PAT later.
- Weather or kicker issues – wind, rain, or injuries tilt odds toward offensive control.
Because these moments are high-leverage, coaches often trust their best playmakers—the same stars who just scored. That overlap fuels octopus opportunities.
Play-Calling Choices
- Power runs near the goal line let bullish backs (think Derrick Henry) finish the job.
- Rub routes & quick slants give sure-handed receivers another crack before defenses can substitute.
- Quarterback keepers exploit empty-box formations expecting a pass.
Risk vs. Reward
Failing on the conversion costs one point. Succeeding earns two, plus the psychological boost of back-to-back scoring by the same athlete. For a player, the octopus adds a quirky résumé line and, increasingly, social-media fame.
Betting on the Octopus
Sportsbooks price octopus props between +1200 and +2000 for regular games and around +1400 for the Super Bowl.
Handicapping tips:
- Red-zone usage rate – Players with 30-plus red-zone touches or targets are prime candidates.
- Aggressive coaching history – Teams like the Eagles, Jaguars, and Lions attempted two-pointers more than league average in 2024.
- Mobile quarterbacks – Dual-threat QBs supply both passing and rushing paths to film-worthy octopuses.
Because the stat is still rare, even casual wagers can yield triple-digit profits. Just remember: cheering for an octopus is way more fun than hoping one doesn’t happen.
Beyond the NFL
College Football
The NCAA rulebook mirrors the NFL on conversions, and although box-score data remain spotty, several dozen college octopuses have been recorded—most notably Army’s Malik Hancock in 2019, the first ever identified live on radio.
Other Pro Leagues
- CFL: The Canadian game offers single-point “rouges,” but its two-point rule means octopuses are still possible—albeit under different field dimensions.
- XFL & UFL: These spring leagues allow three-point conversions from the 10-yard line, creating a potential (but currently unnamed) decapod—ten points by one player!
Pop-Culture Footprint
- Broadcast Graphics: Fox, CBS, and NBC all rolled out animated octopi during 2023-24 telecasts.
- Social Media: The @NFL_Octopus tracker on X (formerly Twitter) posts real-time alerts within seconds of every occurrence and now boasts over 40 000 followers.
- Trivia Nights: Bars across the United States have begun quizzing patrons on “Who logged the first Octopus in the playoffs?” (Pro tip: It was Hall-of-Famer Terrell Davis in 1998.)
Fun Facts and Trivia
- Double Octopus: Only one player—running back Todd Gurley—has ever recorded two octopuses in the same game (2018 vs. Seattle).
- Longest Octopus: Christian McCaffrey sprinted 40 yards for a touchdown, then caught a pass for the conversion in 2019—a combined 42 yards of solo scoring.
- Oldest Player: Tight end Zach Ertz nailed his 2024 octopus at age 34.
- Youngest: Jalen Hurts was just 24 when he logged his first in 2022.
Conclusion – Why the Octopus Matters
An octopus won’t decide most playoff races, but it captures why football thrills us. It compresses teamwork into a lightning bolt of individual brilliance, spotlights bold coaching, and gives stat-heads something weird and wonderful to catalog.
Since Goldich’s 2019 article, nearly 200 octopuses have splashed across NFL Sundays. Whether you’re a fantasy guru, a casual fan, or someone who just likes cheering for off-beat props, the eight-point play offers a tiny drama inside the larger game—a reminder that creativity, risk, and spectacle are alive on every snap.
So next time a touchdown scorer jogs back to the huddle while the offense stays on the field, hold your breath. You might witness the next entry in football’s growing cephalopod census—another rare octopus, unfurling its tentacles in the end zone.
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