The Chargers had a rare field goal that hadn't been seen in nearly 50 years. Here's what happened

The Chargers had a rare field goal that hadn’t been seen in nearly 50 years. Here’s what happened

Posted by Admin December 21, 2024 NFL

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Fans of obscure NFL rules had their moment in the sun during the Los Angeles Chargers-Denver Broncos game Dec. 19 on “Thursday Night Football.”

Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker drilled a 57-yard field goal with no time on the clock in the first half during his team’s 34-27 victory. It’s the way the kick ended up even happening that has people buzzing, though.

Dicker’s field goal was actually a fair-catch field goal, the first of its kind to happen in an NFL game in nearly half a century. The kick happened after the Broncos punted the ball at the end of the first half and were penalized for fair catch interference, giving the Chargers an extra 15 yards. That’s where the fair-catch free kick rule came in.

What is the NFL fair-catch free kick rule?

The rule in question is not well known and applied in this situation because time had wound down in the first half.

The NFL outlined the rule and what was allowed to happen as a result of the Broncos penalty.

“If the player makes a fair catch, the receiving team may elect to extend the period with a fair catch kick, but does not have the option to extend the period by a snap from scrimmage,” the rule states.

“If the kicking team interferes with a receiver who has signaled for a fair catch, the receiving team will have the option to extend the period by attempting a fair catch kick or by a snap from scrimmage after enforcement of any applicable penalties.”

Because of the rule, Dicker kicked the ball from the spot of the catch while the defense, unlike a typical field goal, cannot be at the line of scrimmage.

Los Angeles Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker at work during his team’s game against the Denver Broncos.Kyusung Gong / AP

Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh was all in on it.

“It’s my favorite rule in football,” he said after the game. “Just trying to get one of those, like, every game.”

The 57-yard field goal, which Harbaugh said “got the momentum back” for his team, was the longest fair-catch field goal in NFL history, according to NFL.com, and the first successful one of its kind since Ray Wersching hit one for the then-San Diego Chargers on Nov. 21, 1976.

Dicker himself marveled at what happened.

Cameron Dicker — Dicker, seen here before the game, found the moment to be funny.Ryan Sun / AP

“I was kind of laughing,” he told reporters about what he was thinking when he was on the field, according to video posted by the NFL Network’s Bridget Condon. “I was like, ‘What a funny moment. This is cool. Just enjoy the moment, embrace the moment. Just go try to hit a bomb and enjoy it.’”

Dicker’s kick pulled the Chargers to within eight points at halftime, with the Broncos holding a 21-13 lead. The Chargers would rally to outscore them 21-6 in the second half to win the game and bolster their playoff hopes as both teams moved to 9-6 on the season.