Los Angeles Chargers’ Cameron Dicker Makes NFL’s First Fair-Catch Kick In 48 Years

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Cameron Dicker of the Los Angeles Chargers made the primary profitable fair-catch kick within the NFL since 1976 on Thursday evening, connecting from 57 yards proper earlier than halftime towards the Denver Broncos.

Dicker and the Chargers took benefit of a seldom-used play known as the fair-catch kick, which permits a staff that has simply made a good catch to strive a free kick for 3 factors. The kick is tried from the road of scrimmage, and the defenders all should stand 10 yards away.

The rule is obscure as a result of groups not often discover themselves in circumstances to make such a kick possible. Solely 5 NFL groups had beforehand tried the kick within the twenty first century, and no one had efficiently executed it since Ray Wersching did it for the San Diego Chargers 48 years in the past.

Dicker’s 57-yarder additionally was the longest fair-catch kick in NFL historical past, besting Paul Hornung’s 52-yarder for Inexperienced Bay in 1964.

The Chargers seized the chance created when Denver’s Tremon Smith dedicated fair-catch interference on what would have been the ultimate play of the primary half when Los Angeles’ Derius Davis tried to subject a punt on the Chargers 38.

The penalty moved the ball to the Denver 47 for an untimed down, and the Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh took a timeout earlier than electing to strive a fair-catch kick for the second time in his NFL teaching profession.

With J.Okay. Scott holding the ball, Dicker comfortably booted it by means of the uprights.

The latest fair-catch kick within the NFL was tried in 2019, when Carolina’s Joey Slye missed from 60 yards in a recreation performed in London. Harbaugh additionally tried it with the San Francisco 49ers in 2013, however Phil Dawson missed from 71 yards proper earlier than halftime.

The play is extraordinarily uncommon as a result of most truthful catches happen properly outdoors of regular subject objective vary. The Broncos’ punt would have stranded the Chargers past Dicker’s appreciable vary, however Smith’s penalty created a uncommon alternative — and Dicker didn’t miss.

Wersching, who kicked for the Chargers and 49ers throughout 15 NFL seasons, made a 45-yard fair-catch kick on the halftime gun for San Diego on Nov. 21, 1976.