| Fair Catch Kick |
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Information AboutFair Catch Kick |
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Fair catch kicks can only occur when a member of the receiving team signals for, and successfully makes, a Fair Catch . That team then has the option of restarting play either by Snap or fair catch kick. If the team elects the fair catch kick option, the kicking team lines up at the spot where the fair catch was made and the opposing team lines up ten yards downfield. The kicker then may either placekick the ball from a teammate's hold (a tee may be used in High School) or dropkick the ball. Three points are awarded for kicking the ball through the uprights. If the kick does not go through the uprights, the ball is awarded to the other team where the kick lands, unlike a traditional field goal attempt. As is the case with the two other free kick types, a fair catch kick landing out of bounds is awarded to the receiving team 30 yards from where it was kicked. In the NFL , a fair catch kick may still be attempted if the quarter ends on the fair catch play. This is not automatic; a team's captain or coach must exercise this option. This play is very rarely used. First of all, it is only allowed in the NFL, high school, and a few other levels of football. In the NFL, a rare combination of circumstances would make it plausible. As it will only happen after a punt, a fair catch tends to be taken too far from the goal for a kick to be successful (although, unlike a field goal attempt, the resulting kick is taken from the spot of the catch, not several yards back, and the defending team must stay 10 yards back before the kick.) Further, it is of most use to a team when there is not enough time to run a play from scrimmage, so is only likely to be seen when the punt would otherwise be the last play of a half or a game. Finally, at the end of a game it is only of use when the receiving team is 3 points or fewer behind, or the game is tied - if they need 4 or more points, they will try to run the ball back for a touchdown. Because a fair catch kick is rarely used, many players, coaches and fans don't even know that the rule even exists. KNOWN ATTEMPTS
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