Cameron Dicker just did something the NFL hasn’t seen since 1976.
Not only that, he did it better than anybody in the history of the league.
After a fair catch interference penalty by Broncos defensive back Tremon Smith as time expired in the first half, the Chargers were awarded an untimed down from the Denver 47 yard line. Smith ran into LA returner Derius Davis with no time remaining.
Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers initially sent Justin Herbert and the offense onto the field, but ultimately trotted out Dicker after both teams took timeouts. The Chargers declared a fair catch free kick, invoking a rule rarely seen in the NFL to allow Dicker an unblockable kick from a kickoff-like formation.
The last time anybody saw the fair catch free kick in the NFL was in 2019, when the Panthers trotted Joey Slye out for a 60 yard free kick at the end of the half against the Buccaneers. Slye missed that kick, however. The last successful fair catch free kick came in 1976, when Chargers kicker Ray Wersching made a 45 yarder at the end of the half against the Bills.
Dicker’s make from 57 yards out was only the seventh successful fair catch free kick in recorded NFL history and was a full five yards longer than the previous league record. Hall of Famer Paul Hornung made a 52 yard free kick for the Packers against the Bears in 1964.
Dicker’s kick cut the lead to 21-13 at the half.
