kicking it like its 1986

The fair catch kick is a rule at the professional and high school levels of American football that allows a team that has just made a fair catch to attempt a free kick from the spot of the catch. The kick must be either a place kick or a drop kick, and if it passes over the crossbar and between the goalposts of the opposing team's goal, a field goal, worth three points, is awarded to the kicking team.
The fair catch kick has its origins in rugby football's goal from mark, which has since been abolished in both major rugby codes; a similar rule, the mark, is a major part of Australian rules football. The fair catch kick is considered to be obscure and unusual, and it is only rarely used. Because most fair catches are made well out of field goal range, and in most cases a team that has a fair catch within theoretical range will attempt a normal drive to score a touchdown, the fair catch kick is most viable to use when a team has fair caught within field goal range and there is insufficient time to score a touchdown. At the professional level, the last successful fair catch kick was made by the San Diego Chargers in 1976.

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