The Los Angeles Chargers snatched the momentum in their 34–27 win over the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football in the rarest way—a successful fair catch free kick.
The unusual play allows a team to attempt a field goal from where they received a fair catch while the opponent is not allowed to rush the kick. At the end of the first half, the Chargers fair caught a punt from the Broncos. Due to an interference penalty from the Broncos, the Chargers received one untimed down at the end of the half.
Thanks to the extra yardage from the penalty, Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh decided to attempt a free kick down 21-10. Thanks to the power from Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker, the Chargers successfully made a 57-yard free kick, the longest free kick in NFL history. The kick, worth the same as a field goal, brought the Chargers up to 13 points at the half.
"Great football game," Harbaugh said after the game. "Let’s talk about Cam Dicker and the free kick. It’s my favorite rule in football. I have been trying to get one in every game. When Cameron Dicker made it, it got the momentum back. This was our chance. This was our moment [to try it]."
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh says the free kick is his favorite rule and he has been trying to set one up "in every game."
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) December 20, 2024
"I wanted it so bad we were gonna try the 71-yarder."
🔗https://t.co/UCGqx4PMJH https://t.co/n3CAshpuS2 pic.twitter.com/BE8khSECoA
Coming out of the halftime break, the Chargers scored a touchdown on their first possession of the second half. They scored touchdowns on three of their first four drives of the second half, taking a 34-24 lead by the fourth quarter. They would go on to win 34-27.
Dicker noted that the Chargers have practiced the kick under special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken, but that he did not even know about the rule until being coached by Ficken.
Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker said special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken talks through the free kick rule every Friday, so he was aware of it. pic.twitter.com/1UkTmbJj4s
— Eric Williams (@eric_d_williams) December 20, 2024
Free kicks are sparingly attempted. The last one attempted was a 60-yarder attempted by former Carolina Panthers kicker Joey Slye in 2019. Prior to Dicker's kick on Thursday, the last made kick was former San Diego Chargers kicker Ray Wersching in 1976. One of the recently attempted free kicks was by Harbaugh when he was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. In 2013, Harbaugh had former 49ers kicker Phil Dawson attempt a free kick against the St. Louis Rams.
Thanks in part to Harbaugh's usage of the quirky rule, the Chargers move to 9-6 on the season, and inch closer to claiming a spot in the playoffs.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jim Harbaugh Tells the Story Behind the NFL's First Successful Free Kick in 48 Years.
