Fair catch kick

[gindie]

Well, it happened for the first time in 48 years, a successful fair catch  kick in the NFL.   I understand this is also legal to do in high school, but interestingly not in college (NCAA).

Two questions...

1) Does time have to be at 0:00 to do this?  Or after any fair catch?

2) Have any of you officials seen this attempted in  your years on the field?

[Irishman]

2 hours ago, gindie said:

Well, it happened for the first time in 48 years, a successful fair catch  kick in the NFL.   I understand this is also legal to do in high school, but interestingly not in college (NCAA).

Two questions...

1) Does time have to be at 0:00 to do this?  Or after any fair catch?

2) Have any of you officials seen this attempted in  your years on the field?

1. No, it can happen any time after a fair catch. Without the penalty, the fair catch MUST be caught though. 

2. While I am not an official, as a coach for 30 years, and including my playing career from 5th through 12th grade, I have never seen it. 

[Bobref]

I’ve never seen it done. In this case, they keep referring to it as a “fair catch” kick. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a fair catch. It was an “awarded” fair catch, because of the kick catching interference foul.

[JustRules]

19 hours ago, Bobref said:

I’ve never seen it done. In this case, they keep referring to it as a “fair catch” kick. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a fair catch. It was an “awarded” fair catch, because of the kick catching interference foul.

I believe it may be called a fair catch kick in the NFL rule book however. So they may have actually been using the correct term in that context.

[Bobref]

1 hour ago, JustRules said:

I believe it may be called a fair catch kick in the NFL rule book however. So they may have actually been using the correct term in that context.

Good call, ref.

Here's the exact wording of the NFL's rule on fair catches, from Rule 10, Section 2, Article 4:

"After a fair catch is made or is awarded as the result of fair catch interference, the receiving team has the option of putting the ball in play by a snap or fair catch kick (drop kick or place kick without a tee) from the spot of the catch or succeeding spot after enforcement of any applicable penalties (3-9 and 11-4-3). This includes the 15-yard penalty enforced from the receiving team’s 20-yard line as applicable if the fair catch is made or awarded in his end zone from fair catch interference or illegal contact with the receiver after he has made a fair catch."