Does a safety in a football game count as a turnover?

Question

I saw my favorite team the Detroit Lions get two safetys against the Bills then they got the ball back. Is that a turnover against the Bills though?

Answer 1

Not really although it can give an opponent two points, it can also be done electivly (intentionally)..

Elective safeties

Occasionally, the team with the ball may concede a safety intentionally, as a game strategy, which implicitly explains the origin of the term "safety."

The elective safety is not uncommon in Canadian football when a team faces a third-down situation deep in their own territory. A punt from the end zone would give the receiving team much better field position than a kickoff from the 35-yard line would.

The elective safety is not seen often in American (four-down) football, since the ensuing free kick would come from just the 20-yard line. However, it is occasionally employed by teams who are willing to trade two points on the scoreboard for a perceived greater advantage in field position or clock time.

A notable example of team conceding an intentional safety for field position occurred in the nationally-televised NFL game on Monday November 3, 2003. Trailing the Denver Broncos by a point with about three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, and facing a fourth-and-long situation from their own 1-yard line, the New England Patriots elected instead to snap the ball intentionally out of their end zone rather than attempt a dangerous punt. Now trailing by three, the Patriots' ensuing free kick traveled all the way to the Broncos' 15. The Patriots' defense forced a punt, and their offense subsequently drove down the field for the winning touchdown with 30 seconds remaining.

An example of a team trading an elective safety for a clock time advantage arose in college football's Backyard Brawl on December 1, 2007. Leading the West Virginia Mountaineers 13-7 with nine seconds remaining, the Pittsburgh Panthers faced a fourth down at their own 15. The Pittsburgh punter received the snap at the goal line and, instead of punting, scrambled in his end zone until the remaining time expired. He then stepped over the end line to concede two points, making the final score 13-9. West Virginia were thus denied the opportunity to gain possession of the ball to possibly score a winning touchdown.

Answer 2

no, it's a score and a kickoff

Answer 3

No, had it been a turnover it would have been a touchdown.  The free kick afterword is also not a turnover, unless the other team fumbles it...

Answer 4

EVen though it probably should, it doesnt.

Answer 5

No, its a change of possession.