In football, as in life, you need to be ready for anything.
On Thursday night, the Los Angeles Chargers proved the power of preparation when they hit the first free kick field goal in the NFL since 1976.
The unlikely highlight happened just before halftime. After the Chargers drew a fair catch interference penalty with zeroes on the clock in the first half, the team was awarded one untimed down to do with what they pleased. Kicker Cameron Dicker trotted out to attempt a 57-yard free kick field goal.
He drilled it.
Cameron Dicker makes the first Fair Catch Kick since 1976! 🤯#TNFonPrime pic.twitter.com/DtmO91ikEe
— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) December 20, 2024
The made kick cut the Broncos’ lead down to 21-13 heading into the break, and helped spark what would become an impressive comeback win for the Chargers.
After the game, players and coaches on the Chargers broke down what went into the free kick field goal. While the Broncos defense and even some of the Chargers players were a bit confused by the play, it was straight out of practice for the special teams unit.
“We talk about it every week, so it was a normal thing for us,” Dicker told reporters of the free kick field goal after the game. “We got through it in our Friday meetings. We go through all the scenarios that can happen. We always watch—I think the last one that happened might have been in London, with Joey Slye.”
Video: #Chargers Cameron Dicker on making the NFL’s first fair catch kick in nearly 50 years. pic.twitter.com/UMPpTsiwz6
— Joe Reedy (@joereedy) December 20, 2024
While it’s no surprise an NFL team was familiar with the intracacies of the NFL rulebook, the fact that the fair catch free kick scenario comes up every week at practice for the Chargers, and was then successfully executed on the field, is a testament to the team’s process.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh was clearly hyped that his team had put its name in the history books with the historic kick, saying that it was his “favorite rule in football,” after the game.
Congrats coach. Practice makes perfect.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Chargers Practiced Every Week for a Play That Hadn’t Worked in Nearly 50 Years.
