Cameron Dicker of the Los Angeles Chargers made the primary profitable fair-catch kick within the NFL since 1976 on Thursday evening, connecting from 57 yards simply earlier than halftime in opposition to the Denver Broncos.
Jim Harbaugh has earned a fame for being an obscure play-caller, however how uncommon is the right free kick? Let’s check out the present and the final time it was efficiently carried out.
What is a fair-catch soccer?
Dicker and the Chargers took benefit of a not often used play referred to as fair-catch kick, which permits a staff that has simply made an excellent catch to strive a free kick for 3 factors. The kick is tried from the road of scrimmage and all defenders should stand 10 yards away.
The rule is obscure as a result of groups not often discover themselves within the circumstances to make such soccer possible.
When was the final profitable try?
Only 5 NFL groups had tried the throw beforehand within the twenty first century, and none had efficiently executed it since Ray Wersching did it for the San Diego Chargers 48 years in the past.
Dicker’s 57-yard throw was additionally the longest fair-catch kick in NFL historical past, surpassing Paul Hornung’s 52-yard throw for Green Bay in 1964.
The Chargers seized the chance created when Denver’s Tremon Smith dedicated a fair-catch interference on what would have been the ultimate play of the primary half when Los Angeles’ Derius Davis tried to area a punt on the Chargers 38 .
The penalty moved the ball to the Denver 47 for an untimed down, and the Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh took a timeout earlier than deciding to strive a fair-catch kick for the second time in his NFL teaching profession.
With JK Scott in possession of the ball, Dicker kicked it comfortably by means of the uprights.
When was the final try?
The most up-to-date fair-catch kick within the NFL was tried in 2019, when Carolina’s Joey Slye missed from 60 yards in a sport performed in London. Harbaugh additionally tried with the San Francisco 49ers in 2013, however Phil Dawson missed from 71 yards simply earlier than halftime.
The sport is extraordinarily uncommon as a result of most right catches happen effectively exterior the traditional capturing vary. The Broncos’ punt would have pinned the Chargers past Dicker’s appreciable attain, however Smith’s penalty created a uncommon alternative – and Dicker did not miss it.
Wersching, who kicked for the Chargers and 49ers throughout 15 NFL seasons, made a 45-yard fair-catch kick at halftime for San Diego on Nov. 21, 1976.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Cameron Dicker
Los Angeles Chargers
National soccer league
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