Jim Harbaugh was grinning. Not just a normal "we won the game" smile, but that specific, manic grin of a man who just successfully pulled off a trick he’s been rehearsing in his head for decades.
It happened on a random Thursday night in December 2024. Most fans were probably halfway to the kitchen for a halftime snack when the Los Angeles Chargers did something so obscure, so profoundly "football nerd," that half the stadium—and most of the Denver Broncos roster—seemed genuinely confused.
We’re talking about the chargers fair catch field goal.
Technically, the NFL rulebook calls it a "Fair Catch Kick." It’s a ghost of a rule. It exists in the margins, a relic from the days when players wore leather helmets and kickers didn't look like fitness models. Before Cameron Dicker (aka "Dicker the Kicker") stepped up to the ball against Denver, the NFL hadn't seen a successful version of this play since 1976.
Think about that. 1976. The last time this worked, the No. 1 movie in America was Rocky, and Jimmy Carter was the President-elect.
What Actually Happened at SoFi Stadium?
The setup was bizarre. The Broncos were punting to end the first half. Chargers returner Derius Davis signaled for a fair catch around his own 38-yard line, but Denver's Tremon Smith ran right into him. That’s a 15-yard penalty for fair catch interference.
Normally, you just take the yards, maybe run a Hail Mary, and go to the locker room. But the clock had hit zero.
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Because the penalty happened on a play where a fair catch was signaled, Harbaugh invoked Rule 10, Section 2, Article 4. This specific rule allows a team to attempt a "free kick" from the spot of the catch (or the penalty mark).
The ball was spotted at the Denver 47-yard line. Instead of a normal field goal unit coming out, the Chargers lined up like it was a kickoff. J.K. Scott held the ball at midfield. There was no snap. No rush. The Broncos defenders had to stand ten yards back and just... watch.
Dicker hammered a 57-yarder through the uprights.
It was the longest fair catch kick in the history of the NFL. It also cut the lead to 21-13, sparking a momentum shift that eventually led to a 34-27 Chargers victory.
Why Is This Rule So Rare?
Honestly, the conditions have to be perfect. Like, solar eclipse perfect.
Most fair catches happen way too far back for a kick to be viable. If you catch a punt at your own 20, you aren't going to try an 90-yard field goal. Usually, if a team is close enough to kick a field goal, they’d rather just run their offense and try to get a touchdown.
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The only time the chargers fair catch field goal makes sense is at the very end of a half when there is zero time left on the clock. Since it’s a "free kick," it’s an untimed down.
The Harbaugh Obsession
Jim Harbaugh has been obsessed with this rule for a long time. He actually tried it once before in 2013 when he was coaching the San Francisco 49ers. He had Phil Dawson attempt a 71-yarder against the Rams. It fell short.
After the Chargers game, Harbaugh admitted he’s been trying to find a way to get one of these into a game for years. He even had the special teams unit practicing it that very week.
"It’s my favorite rule in football," Harbaugh told reporters.
There's a reason he loves it. It's essentially a "free" three points if your kicker has a leg. Because there is no defensive rush, the kicker can use a much lower trajectory. They don't have to worry about a linebacker jumping over the line to block it. They can just "drive" the ball like a kickoff.
Breaking Down the Mechanics
How is this different from a normal field goal?
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- No Snap: The ball is held in place by a teammate or can even be drop-kicked (though nobody does that anymore).
- The Defense is Paralyzed: Defenders must stay 10 yards away until the ball is kicked. No leaping, no rushing, no screaming in the kicker's face.
- The Kickoff Style: The kicker can take a longer run-up, similar to a kickoff, which generates significantly more power.
- The Stakes: If you miss, and the ball stays in bounds, the other team can return it just like a missed field goal or a punt.
Before Dicker's kick, the last person to do this was Ray Wersching in 1976. Ironically, Wersching was also playing for the Chargers (the San Diego version) at the time. He hit a 45-yarder against Buffalo.
For nearly 50 years, teams tried it occasionally—mostly out of desperation—and failed every single time. Joey Slye tried a 60-yarder in 2019 and missed. Mason Crosby tried one from 69 yards in 2008.
The chargers fair catch field goal wasn't just a quirky play; it was a masterclass in situational coaching. Most coaches would have just walked into the tunnel. Harbaugh saw a loophole and took three points.
Actionable Takeaways for Football Fans
If you're watching a game and see a fair catch with under 10 seconds left in a half, keep an eye on the sidelines. Here is what needs to happen for you to see this again:
- The Spot: The fair catch needs to happen around the opponent's 45 to 50-yard line (making it a 55 to 60-yard kick).
- The Clock: It almost always happens with 0:00 or 0:01 on the clock.
- The Personnel: You need a kicker like Cameron Dicker who has experience "driving" kickoffs for distance.
- The Coach: You need someone who actually knows the rulebook. It sounds simple, but you'd be surprised how many NFL staffs would overlook this in the heat of a game.
Next time a punter hangs a high one near midfield at the end of the second quarter, don't look away. You might be about to see another piece of NFL history.