The “Singleton” — One-Point Conversions by Run or Pass, 1950–1993
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2026 9:46 pm
I recently completed a project on what I have termed the “Singleton” — a one-point conversion in the NFL by run or pass.
Forty-five singletons were found in the 1950–1993 seasons and each one was researched through newspapers, game accounts, statistical records, and video. The project examines the relative rarity and volatility of the play compared to other unconventional scoring plays. It also discusses enablers and inhibitors of the play, such as weather, field conditions, and repeat performers, with some surprising results.
A few findings that stood out:
- Four Hall of Famers and five from Hall of Very Good were involved in singletons by run, pass, or reception.
- Nine repeat performers were involved in 20 of the 45 singletons.
- Not surprisingly, more than half occurred in adverse weather, although the relationship between weather and the play was more nuanced than I expected.
- The frequency of singletons declined substantially late in the period, as the focus on special-teams increased.
- Comparing as a percent of opportunities, singletons were not that much rarer than blocked punt returns.
The project includes the article, video, dataset, and infographic. It is available here: https://timcastelli.net/nfl-singleton-history/
I would be interested in any feedback or examples I may have missed.
Regards,
Tim Castelli
Forty-five singletons were found in the 1950–1993 seasons and each one was researched through newspapers, game accounts, statistical records, and video. The project examines the relative rarity and volatility of the play compared to other unconventional scoring plays. It also discusses enablers and inhibitors of the play, such as weather, field conditions, and repeat performers, with some surprising results.
A few findings that stood out:
- Four Hall of Famers and five from Hall of Very Good were involved in singletons by run, pass, or reception.
- Nine repeat performers were involved in 20 of the 45 singletons.
- Not surprisingly, more than half occurred in adverse weather, although the relationship between weather and the play was more nuanced than I expected.
- The frequency of singletons declined substantially late in the period, as the focus on special-teams increased.
- Comparing as a percent of opportunities, singletons were not that much rarer than blocked punt returns.
The project includes the article, video, dataset, and infographic. It is available here: https://timcastelli.net/nfl-singleton-history/
I would be interested in any feedback or examples I may have missed.
Regards,
Tim Castelli