NFL News NFL News, Reports and Updates
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, left, celebrates with kicker Cameron Dicker after a 34-27 win over the Denver Broncos on Thursday at SoFi Stadium. Dicker made two field goals, including the NFL’s first successful fair catch free kick in 48 years. (Ryan Sun / Associated Press)
The Chargers and kicker Cameron Dicker made NFL history against the Denver Broncos on Thursday night, earning three points at the end of the first half with the successful execution of a rare fair-catch free-kick field goal.
So what’s a fair-catch kick? It’s Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh’s favorite rule in football.
The NFL rule book states that “after a fair catch is made or is awarded as the result of fair catch interference, the receiving team has the option of putting the ball in play by a snap or fair catch kick (drop kick or place kick without a tee) from the spot of the catch or succeeding spot after enforcement of any applicable penalties.”
The kicks are counted as field goals by the NFL.
Read more: Chargers make history with rare fair catch kick against Broncos
Circumstances that would make attempting such a kick advantageous to a team don’t occur often. According to the NFL, only seven such attempts have been successful.
Dicker’s 57-yarder is the longest successful fair-catch kick in league history, as the Chargers joined the Green Bay Packers as the only teams to pull off the accomplishment twice.
Here’s a look at every successful fair-catch kick.
Nov. 6, 1921
A statue of former Green Bay Packers player and coach Curly Lambeau stands outside Lambeau Stadium. (Mike Roemer / Associated Press)
Kicker: Curly Lambeau
Team: Green Bay Packers
Opponent: Evansville Crimson Giants
Distance: Unknown
On this day, Packers player-coach Lambeau rushed for at least one touchdown, connected on four extra points and “was shooting the oval like a bullet, and with deadly accuracy,” according to the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
He also made the NFL’s first known fair-catch kick.
Read more: Breaking down the 1.3…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/fair-catch-free-kick-rule-224615821.html
Author : LA Times
Publish date : 2024-12-20 22:46:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
