Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Would a 70-yard free kick (made after a fair catch) be considered a new field goal record...perhaps with an asterisk? Or would it fit into a category of its own?

The NFL doesn't seem to have a separate category for fair catch kicks. With no snap or onrushing linemen, a free kick seems so much easier than a field goal attempt that if one is made from record distance it shouldn't eclipse a standard field goal record.

According to Wikipedia, there have been 24 known free kicks attempted in NFL history. The most recent was a 71-yard miss by Phil Dawson in 2013. Mason Crosby missed a 69-yarder in Packers-Lions game in 2008. The longest attempt was Mark Moseley's 74-yarder in 1979 Washington-Giants game.

In fact the last 8 attempts have been unsuccessful. In NFL history only 6 have been successful, the most recent by Ray Wersching, a 45-yarder in Bills-Chargers game in 1976. The longest made is 52 yards by Paul Hornung in 1964.

Lost Century wrote:The longest made is 52 yards by Paul Hornung in 1964.

Quite ironic, considering how brutal his kicking was that year.

If the previous attempts counted in the FG stats I think a kick of record length would have to count as such.

BD Sullivan wrote:

Lost Century wrote:The longest made is 52 yards by Paul Hornung in 1964.

Quite ironic, considering how brutal his kicking was that year.

I was thinking the same thing. Bring on "Babe" Chandler!

Yes, fair catch free kick field goal attempts are treated, statistically speaking, the same as scrimmage field goal attempts.

What I am not sure about is whether or not a missed fair catch free kick field goal attempt is treated the same as a kickoff or punt return, where the ball needs to be returned or result in a touchback, or rather that the defensive team takes over on offense at the spot of the missed attempt, as on a scrimmage field goal attempt that is missed.

superbowlfanatic wrote:Yes, fair catch free kick field goal attempts are treated, statistically speaking, the same as scrimmage field goal attempts.

What I am not sure about is whether or not a missed fair catch free kick field goal attempt is treated the same as a kickoff or punt return, where the ball needs to be returned or result in a touchback, or rather that the defensive team takes over on offense at the spot of the missed attempt, as on a scrimmage field goal attempt that is missed.

It's basically treated as a punt. It can result in a touchback, it can be fair-caught, and it can be returned.

A fair-catch kick follows the rules for kickoffs prior to the kick, except that a tee is never used. It may be a placekick or drop kick, with the 10-yard restraining lines, and the formation rules for a kickoff.

As soon as the ball is kicked, it follows all the rules for a field goal attempt. A missed kick may be returned or, if unplayed, the receiving team gets the ball at the spot of the kick (or the 20 if inside the 20), if time remains in the half. Since there is no line of scrimmage, none of the rules for a field goal attempt that doesn't cross the line apply. A team can't onside-free-kick and take possession, unless there is a touched ball by the receiving team.

Statistically, it is a field goal. One of the immense challenges in researching fair-catch kicks is that they are recorded as regular FG attempts, except that a FC kick doesn't have a down/distance.

And, try to wrap your head around this one. As far as I can tell, a fair-catch kick can be fair caught by the receiving team for consecutive fair-catch kicks.