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Has anyone ever kicked the ball through the uprights on a kickoff?

Author

Noah Mitchell

Published Jan 12, 2026

A kickoff is neither a play from scrimmage nor a fair catch kick (a fair catch kick can occur only immediately following a kick that was fair-caught). Therefore, kicking the ball through the uprights results merely in a touchback, just like kicking the ball out of any other part of the end zone would.

Has anyone ever kicked a field goal on a kickoff?

Remember, the free kick is only an option on the very next play after a fair catch. The fair catch kick rule is very rarely used in the NFL. The last player to attempt a fair catch field goal was Phil Dawson, who tried a 71-yarder for the 49ers in 2013.

Can you throw the ball through the uprights?

Like a field goal, the kick is worth three points if it goes through the uprights. Unlike a field goal, the ball can be dropkicked or held like a placekick.

How often do kickoffs go through uprights?

And with no worry of having the kick blocked, the kicker can kick with a lower trajectory, which allows the ball to travel farther. Add all those things up, and Tucker thinks he'd be able to put it through the uprights about 20 percent of the time.

Has a punt ever made a field goal?

If the receiving player is blocked into the ball, it is not considered "touching" the ball. A field goal cannot be scored on a punt kick. By contrast, the now very rarely attempted drop kick can be used to score either field goals or extra points in both American and Canadian football.

37 related questions found

What if a kickoff goes through the uprights?

FIELD GOAL

A kickoff is neither a play from scrimmage nor a fair catch kick (a fair catch kick can occur only immediately following a kick that was fair-caught). Therefore, kicking the ball through the uprights results merely in a touchback, just like kicking the ball out of any other part of the end zone would.

Are dropkicks still legal in the NFL?

Believe it or not, the dropkick remains a legal maneuver in the National Football League today. It still exists in the NFL's official rule book. Rule 3, Section 18, Article 1, Item 1 defines the dropkick as, "a kick by a player who drops the ball and kicks it as, or immediately after, it touches the ground."

Is being a kicker easy?

Being a kicker in the NFL is not only incredibly difficult, but extremely thankless. There's no real “win” for a kicker. They either “do their job” or they're on a flight back to their hometown rather than the team facility. They don't get the benefit of the doubt or number of chances that other positions do.

Can you punt a ball twice?

You CAN punt twice if the ball remained (and remains) behind the line of scrimmage after the first one. “The penalty for a punt, drop kick, or placekick from beyond the line is to be enforced from the spot where the ball is punted or kicked when the player's entire body and the ball are beyond the line of scrimmage.”

What is the longest field goal ever kicked in an NFL game?

The Broncos kicker slugged a 64-yard field goal in December of 2013 against the Titans. It didn't finish the game off but it did send Denver to the halftime tunnel extremely pumped up. Justin Tucker is responsible for the longest field goal in NFL history.

Can a kicker catch his own punt?

Yes, when punting the punter himself as well as any of his teammates have the option to catch the ball. Though when a punt is caught by the punting team they do not remain in possession of the ball.

Does a punt through the uprights count?

It turns out that, after a punt or a kickoff that was fielded by fair catch, the team receiving the kick actually has two options: they can run a play from scrimmage (also known as “doing normal football things”) or they can attempt a type of free kick called a “fair catch kick.” If the kick goes through the uprights, ...

What happens if a kicker misses the ball on a kickoff?

On a free kick (kick off or safety kick) the ball must be kicked to start the play. No player can be in front of the kicker until the ball is kicked. So if a kicker misses the ball, the play has not started.

Can you kick a field goal twice?

If the kicker misses the field goal on first, second, or third down, the ball is turned over to the opposing team. The kicking team does not get additional attempts. This is why teams rarely go for a field goal on anything except fourth down.

Can you kick on 3rd down?

Once the ball crosses the line of scrimmage, the ball is turned over to the other team. Now, if on 3rd down, a kick is blocked, the ball never crosses the line of scrimmage, and the ball is recovered by the offense, it would then be 4th down, and they would get another chance.

Can you kick a field goal too high?

“The rule states that if the ball is above the upright, it's good,” Dawson said. The rule says: “The entire ball must pass through the vertical plane of the goal, which is the area above the crossbar and between the uprights or, if above the uprights, between their outside edges.”

Has anyone punted on first down?

Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys, October 16, 1994

What had happened: The Eagles ran for 1 on first down and -3 on second. The punt: Cunningham's punt over the defense was downed 80 yards downfield.

Was Michael dicksons double punt legal?

Mike Pereira initially said this was not legal, and Fox Sports announcers Joe Buck and Troy Aikman thought this would result in a penalty. But as it turns out, it was perfectly fine for the Seahawks' Michael Dickson to punt the ball twice on one play.

Why was the double punt legal?

For many of them, this was the first time they'd seen a double punt. Mike Pereira, the rules analyst for the broadcast, commented that the play was illegal, but he was unaware of the rule. According to NFL Rule 9, a second punt is legal so long as the ball does not cross the line of scrimmage.

Are kickers undervalued NFL?

The kicking game is a very underrated part of football. A good kicker could really impact the outcome of a game. The ability to hit a long field goal and change field position with a good punt are extremely valuable. NFL kickers have a tendency to frequently change teams, but the good ones see very little movement.

Why are kickers so important?

Kickers are the highest scoring players in the NFL because they get the most real scoring chances. Every time his team scores a touchdown, he gets the chance to score a point. Every time his team gets to the 35, he gets the chance to score three points. If his offense is good, the kicker can rack up a ton of points.

Is it harder to kick a football or soccer ball?

The NFL football is harder, tougher on the outside, and the pressure in it is what we used to call a 'brick' in soccer, like hitting a brick.

Can you tie in NFL games?

In the National Football League (NFL), a tied game occurs when a regular season game ends with both teams having an equal score after one ten minute overtime period. Ties have counted as a half-win and half-loss in league standings since 1972; before that, ties were not counted in the standings at all.

Can you drop kick for a field goal?

An NFL kicker can use either a drop kick or a placekick to kick the ball through the uprights of the opponent's goal for field goals from behind the line of scrimmage, or to score an extra point following a touchdown.

What is the only score not possible in football?

Among the non-viable outcomes are 1-1, 1-0, 2-1, 3-1, 4-1, 5-1, and 7-1. Five to 1 is impossible because it can only occur after a field goal and a conventional safety while 7 to 1 is also impossible because a team can only get to 7 after scoring a touchdown by successfully kicking a PAT.