The Rulebook: Fair-catch Free Kick
Taking a look at the most odd rules in sports.
The fair catch kick is a rule at the professional and high school levels of American football that allows a team that has just made a fair catch to attempt a free kick from the spot of the catch. The kick must be either a place kick or a drop kick, and if it passes over the crossbar and between the goalposts of the defensive team's goal, a field goal, worth three points, is scored to the offensive team.
This rule does not exist at the NCAA level, however High School football has kept the rule in play and it nearly helped Bingham High School pull out a dramatic win in 2014.
The rule originates from Rugby Football and is an essential part of Australian Football. Although it is extremely rare, two years ago in a Thursday night matchup between the 49ers and the Los Angeles Saint Louis Rams, the free kick was attempted.
Notice the confusion on both teams and imagine what the Rams fans were thinking as their team was unable to make an attempt to even block it
The last successful fair-catch free kick came in 1976 as Ray Wersching of the San Diego Chargers knocked one through the uprights from 45-yards versus the Buffalo Bills.
The last eight attempts have been unsuccessful. Before 2013, the rule had not been used since 2008 where it was used twice in one season. The closest being Rob Bironas of the Tennessee Titans who's 58-yard attempt just missed in a game versus the Texans.
This rule does not exist at the NCAA level, however High School football has kept the rule in play and it nearly helped Bingham High School pull out a dramatic win in 2014.
The rule originates from Rugby Football and is an essential part of Australian Football. Although it is extremely rare, two years ago in a Thursday night matchup between the 49ers and the
Notice the confusion on both teams and imagine what the Rams fans were thinking as their team was unable to make an attempt to even block it
The last successful fair-catch free kick came in 1976 as Ray Wersching of the San Diego Chargers knocked one through the uprights from 45-yards versus the Buffalo Bills.
The last eight attempts have been unsuccessful. Before 2013, the rule had not been used since 2008 where it was used twice in one season. The closest being Rob Bironas of the Tennessee Titans who's 58-yard attempt just missed in a game versus the Texans.
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