Free Kick?

[Spence]

I read that a team took a "free kick" tonight and made a 60 yard FG.

I'm not overly familiar with the rule.

Is it only an option if you fair catch a punt or a kick?

Does the kicker kick off of a regular kicking tee?

Is the kicker limited in how many steps he can take before kicking?

Is the defense even on the field when a free kick is taking place?

[BktBallRef]

A team fair catches a scrimmage kick or free kick or takes an award FC as a result of a kick catching interference penalty.

They then have the option of putting the ball in play via a free kick or a snap.

If they choose a free kick, it's no different than the lineup for a kick off after a score.

The teams are 10 yards apart and the kicker can use any legal tee, just as he can for any other FGA or PAT.

Also, if a team were to fair catch the ball and have a defensive penalty on the 1st down play, they could accept the penalty and then exercise their option to free kick.

[jchamp]

Fair catch kick - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

One of the most rarely implemented rules in football. Does not exist in college. But can actually play a critical role in offensive strategy near the end of half. It is so rarely used because it requires a combination of several things to be worth-while:
1) There must be a punt (so usually a fourth down) with only a few seconds left.
2) The receiving team must call for and make a fair catch.
and either:
3a) The catch must be close enough to the end zone that the coach is willing to take nearly certain 3 points at the end of the first half rather than a much less likely touchdown, -or-
3b) The receiving team must be down by 3 or fewer points at the end of the game.

I imagine most NFL coaches are reminded that the option exists for their opponent and would either instruct their punter to put the kick out-of-bounds in a situation where a fair-catch kick is likely to be used, or would run a play on 4th down to try to get the yardage and/or run out the clock.

Bottom line: it's an important part of the game balance, but its very nature means it is rarely used and therefore not widely known.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Spence

Is the kicker limited in how many steps he can take before kicking?

No, but thanks for coming up with a question I've never seen asked before!