fair catch

[fair kach]

noun

Football.

1. a catch of a kicked ball in which the receiver signals that they will not advance the ball and therefore may not be interfered with or tackled.

Word History and Origins

Origin of fair catch¹

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

The obscure rule allows a team to kick immediately after a fair catch and if it goes through the uprights and over the crossbar, it counts as a three-point field goal for the kicking team.

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Green Bay’s Elijah made a fair catch on a Chicago punt with seconds remaining in the first half.

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Even some of his own teammates had no idea what a fair catch kick was.

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Dicker hit a 57-yard field goal on the final play of the second quarter on a fair catch free kick.

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The Chargers ended an otherwise disastrous first half against the Denver Broncos with a rare fair catch kick from Cameron Dicker that cut the Chargers deficit to 21-13 entering the locker room.

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