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if you miss a field goal on 2nd down what happens

If you miss a field goal on 2nd down in (American) football, the kick is treated just like any other missed field goal: the defense takes over the ball (or can return it) and your offense does not get another down. Possession and spot depend on the league and what exactly happened to the kick, but the “2nd down” part no longer matters once you try the kick.

Basic idea

  • A field goal can be attempted on any down, not just 4th.
  • Once you actually kick it, you’re essentially choosing to give up the rest of your downs in exchange for a shot at 3 points.
  • If the field goal is missed, the result is a change of possession (unless it’s blocked and recovered behind the line by the kicking team, in some rule sets).

What happens after a miss (NFL-style)

In the NFL, on a typical missed field goal that goes into the end zone or beyond the dead‑ball line:

  • The defending team takes over on offense.
  • The ball is usually spotted at the place of the kick (about 7–8 yards behind the original line of scrimmage) or the 20/25 in certain end‑zone/touchback situations, per detailed rulebook mechanics.
  • There is no re‑do of 2nd or 3rd down; the drive is over for the kicking team.

If the kick is short and lands in the field of play, the defense can:

  • Catch it and return it, very similar to a punt return.
  • Let it die; then they get the ball where it’s downed.

High school / college twists

High school and many college rules treat missed field goals more like other scrimmage kicks, with some differences:

  • If the short kick is fielded in front of the end zone, it can be returned like a punt.
  • If it goes into the end zone untouched and becomes dead, it’s a touchback , and the defense gets the ball at the touchback spot (for example, the 20).
  • Again, the original down (2nd, 3rd, 4th) does not carry over once the ball changes hands.

Why teams usually wait until 4th down

Even though the rules allow a field goal on any down:

  • Teams normally kick on 4th down , so that if something goes wrong (bad snap/hold), they can abort the kick on an earlier down and still have a later down left to try again.
  • Going for a long field goal early (like on 2nd down) risks giving the opponent great field position if you miss, with no benefit of extra downs.

Simple forum-style answer

If you miss a field goal on 2nd down, you don’t “go back” to 3rd down or replay the down. You’ve used your down on the kick. The other team takes over on offense at the appropriate spot (place of kick, touchback spot, or where the ball is returned/downed), depending on the specific rule set.

TL;DR: Missing a field goal on 2nd down works the same as missing it on 4th—your drive ends, and the other team gets the ball, with exact spot depending on league and where the ball becomes dead.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.