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Goodell Says NFL Might Consider Eliminating Extra-Point Kicks

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Commissioner Roger Goodell says the NFL might eventually eliminate its nearly automatic point-after-touchdown (PAT) play.

Goodell told the NFL Network that the extra-point kick lacks "excitement." And who would disagree? The league-wide conversion rate was 99.6 percent (1,256 for 1,261) during the regular season, according to Pro Football Talk.

"There's one proposal in particular that I've heard about," Goodell said. "It's automatic that you get seven points when you score a touchdown, but you could potentially go for an eighth point, either by running or passing the ball, so if you fail, you go back to six."

Goodell admitted there were "some issues" to consider, including whether a change would discourage teams from going for the two-point conversion.

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick spoke out against the PAT earlier this month.

"I would be in favor of not seeing it be an over 99 percent conversion rate," Belichick said. "It's virtually automatic. That's just not the way the extra point was put into the game. It was an extra point that you actually had to execute and it was executed by players who were not specialists, they were position players. It was a lot harder for them to do."

Goodell sparked an intense debate last season when he said the league would consider former Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano's proposal to eliminate kickoffs.

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