Free Kick?
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? |
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. |
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. |
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