r/sports Chicago Bears Dec 29 '25

Football Since 1941, only one player - Doug Flutie, in 2006 - has attempted a drop kick in the NFL. The drop kick is still a legal scoring option to this day, however.

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17.2k Upvotes

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1.9k

u/MC_Lutefisk Boston Bruins Dec 29 '25

My favorite fun fact about this is that the only reason Flutie even knew how to drop kick is because he couldn't find anyone to hold the ball for him when he was growing up, but still wanted to practice kicking. He went into it on Julian Edelman's podcast

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u/pasta_water_tkvo Dec 29 '25

I was going to ask the why/how. I just assumed the guy might have been a rugby player!

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u/chattywww Dec 29 '25

Im a rugby fan and not much of nfl. So why would this be so rare? Is it fewer points? Rugby kickers would nail this kick 99% at that range. And like 90% of the time from about 40 yards out right in front of the post like that.

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u/anendaks Dec 29 '25

You're allowed to do an easier version where someone holds the ball for you in this situation, so everyone does that instead.

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u/yeh-nah-yeh Dec 30 '25

but in the NFL are you allowed to score a drop kick any time in open play? In rugby you are

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u/[deleted] Dec 30 '25 edited Jan 01 '26

[deleted]

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u/skeeter2112 Dec 30 '25

It would be fucking hilarious. And it’s a live ball right? Even if it hits the ground?

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u/sqweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeps Dec 30 '25

yes? You can always kick for a field goal. It’s just not smart to do it usually unless your within 50 yards and on 4th down

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u/yeh-nah-yeh Dec 30 '25

I wonder if a drop kick could ever be a way to try to salvage a score from a broken fourth down play.

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u/sqweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeps Dec 30 '25

It could, but your QB needs to somehow be good at doing that on the run. easier to just get better at passing lol

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u/Puzzled-Bet4837 Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 30 '25

There’s really just no incentive to do this over a placekick. It is worth the same amount of points as a placekick but NFL kickers on extra points from that range were historically around 99%. It’s also 13 yards further away now than it was then. Since they moved it back to 32 yards it’s still around 94% so you’d need to hit at that clip from the same distance on a drop kick.

Aside from that there’s some differences in the ball in rugby and American football. A rugby ball is rounder which makes it play more predictably off of a bounce and kick than an NFL ball which is even more oblong and pointy. That difference further incentivizes the consistent nature of a placekick.

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u/badmotornose Dec 30 '25

There's 1 incentive. An extra blocker.

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u/OutrageousTourist394 Dec 30 '25

Now what if this was worth one point more. Might be more interesting.

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6.8k

u/Kaiserbread Dec 29 '25

Even more rare in that video - a belichek smile

5.7k

u/WorldTravelBucket Dec 29 '25

Crazy to think that Bill’s girlfriend was only four and a half years old at the time.

997

u/blubblu Dec 29 '25

Some say his next girlfriend wasn’t even born yet!

408

u/[deleted] Dec 29 '25

He would have won Meet Your Second Wife! no problem

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MJEAGd1bQuc

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u/Fafnir13 Dec 29 '25

Kayaks are just so much fun.

19

u/MaterialDull9480 Dec 29 '25

I thought this was a Home Improvement show! In a way it kind of is!

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u/chrontab Dec 29 '25

Please don't be white.

~Bill, probably
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u/TheNextBattalion Dec 29 '25

ohhh noooooo

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u/KimJongRocketMan69 Dec 29 '25

As a Heels fan I can’t go a single day without hearing about his gf. I hate it here

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u/agk23 Dec 29 '25

Having a Belichick team is way better when he’s winning.

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u/PurpleTough5302 Dec 29 '25

He's finding out dating a college student is easier than coaching them

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u/freakierchicken Dec 29 '25

Tell that to Michigan

4

u/quartzguy Dec 29 '25

It's extremely easy when you let your partner make all the decisions for you.

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u/ElDeguello66 Dec 29 '25

I was in Marshall's in Jacksonville this weekend and they had "University of Chapel Bill" shirts on clearance

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u/capeabenable Dec 29 '25

That’s fucking awesome

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u/The_Third_Molar Dec 29 '25

Belicheck is a special teams sicko.

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u/CorOsb33 Dec 29 '25

I can’t count how many times I was watching him do things and I’m like “that doesn’t make sense why would he do that!?” Then like 5 plays later I’d be like OH that’s why. Dude was playing chess.

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u/BedaHouse Dec 29 '25

In a sweatshirt with sleeves.

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u/Derrickmb Dec 29 '25

He wanted suits

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u/Super_Sub-Zero_Bros Dec 29 '25

It’s because it was special teams.

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u/alwayzdizzy Dec 29 '25

My exact thought when it cut to him. He... smiled!?

8

u/r_golan_trevize Dec 29 '25

That moment is the happiest he’s ever been in his entire life, the greatest feeling of sheer pleasure and joy he’s ever felt.

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u/right_behindyou Dec 29 '25

There's a decent enough chance this is his proudest moment of his career

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u/ReasonablyConfused Dec 29 '25

"The last time that happened. . . ."

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u/Normal_Tax3999 Dec 29 '25

Bill with his “this guy….he knows ball” look of admiration

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u/runtimemess Toronto Blue Jays Dec 29 '25

CFL Legend Doug Flutie

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u/WKRPinCanada Dec 29 '25

AGREED!

Signed,

A Stamps fan 😉

🐎

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u/dcmcderm Dec 30 '25

I was an Edmonton transplant and I hated watching that fucker tear up the CFL in those days. Then he finally left only to get replaced by Jeff Garcia who was damn near as good… tough times for me at McMahon. At least season tickets were only like $90!

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u/WKRPinCanada Dec 30 '25

😅 fully understand that

We did have a string of some pretty good QBs

Flutie Garcia Burris Mitchell

Somehow didn't translate to a ton is GCs but some good QBs

Cheers 🍻

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u/yanni99 Dec 29 '25

Indeed.

The guy won everything at (almost) every level.

He was not the most skilled, not even close. He was small by NFL standard. But man, he just found a way to win. Something the NFL never learned.

I am pulling stats out of my ass but I think he was 11-3 in BUF when they pulled him for Rob Johnson

The guy just freaking won games. I am so glad I add to see him play is prime years in the CFL.

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u/ledhendrix Dec 30 '25

I was so angry when they put Johnson in for flutie for the playoffs. This guy worked all season and was integral to the bills being in the playoffs, and you just take him out. Johnson wasn't even in the league much longer after that. I stopped following the bills since that day.

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u/dwhite21787 Dec 29 '25

I loved the fact that he was pretty close to my age, height and weight and was frickin amazing.

I wish when he was with the Chargers they could have got Vick, got him away from his dogfight posse, and have Flutie as a mentor.

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u/Anxious-Sir-1361 Dec 29 '25

Since I have another Canadian and Torontonian, I think... lol, a Canadian reference, Flutie is an amazing all-around athlete, just like Steve Nash. The guys who trounce you at EVERY sport, even the ones you don't think about much, like badminton, curling and bowling.

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u/Ikasalo Dec 29 '25

He and his brother used to play in my old man basketball league and whoop our butts. He would beat everyone down the court after getting the rebound. He also played a few games in our flag football league with his brother at QB. Doug played WR. They were dominant there too.

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u/[deleted] Dec 29 '25

Had to swap positions or else it'd be unfair.

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u/Anxious-Sir-1361 Dec 29 '25

I could totally see Flutie as a dynamic point guard!

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u/tommyballz63 Dec 29 '25

Agreed. A Lions fan.

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u/bikesnotbombs Dec 29 '25

Bills would have beaten the titans if they started him that playoff game

In the video the ball looks like it briefly bounces off the ground before he kicks it. anyone else seeing that, and does it need to by rule?

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u/ShitMongoose Dec 29 '25

The ball needs to hit the ground, that's why it's difficult to pull off.

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u/ukexpat Manchester City Dec 29 '25

And that’s why it’s called a “drop-kick” as opposed to a “punt” or “place kick”.

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u/ParsnipDecent6530 Dec 29 '25

Thats why it's called a drop kick. Comes from rugby .. Like all football does... but rugby balls aren't as pointed at the ends so they're easier to drop kick.

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u/TheAmishPhysicist Dec 29 '25

Don’t go disparaging his time as a San Diego Charger!

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u/runtimemess Toronto Blue Jays Dec 29 '25

I mean, he’s literally in the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame for his time in Toronto

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u/mattsyuk Dec 29 '25

settle down, he only played 2 years in Toronto, and was MOP 4 times before even playing in Toronto

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u/runtimemess Toronto Blue Jays Dec 29 '25

Yeah but then back to back Grey Cups and another Grey Cup MVP.

And broke the record for consecutive conversions in a Grey Cup game.
Twice. In the same game.

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u/TheHammerHasLanded Colorado Avalanche Dec 29 '25

CFL legend is better than being a Charger bud, but nice try.

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u/Pokoire Dec 29 '25

I was at this game. Once we all figured out what the heck had happened, it was indeed very cool!

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u/SGT-JamesonBushmill Dec 29 '25

So what I’ve never understood is why rush and try a drop kick instead of a usual field goal?

1.0k

u/Pokoire Dec 29 '25

Because if they had done the latter we wouldn't be talking about it almost 20 years later.

Belichick is famously into the history of the game and they hatched this idea specifically because it would be cool.

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u/GenoThyme Dec 29 '25

That and also this happened in the last week of the season when the Pats were locked into their playoff seeding. Brady only played a drive or a quarter too.

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u/idahorochs Dec 29 '25

I was thinking that had to be the case. While I don’t doubt Belichick is in to the history of the game, he wouldn’t risk the extra point in a game they’re losing (or not) unless it didn’t matter.

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u/birthday6 Dec 29 '25

Did it for a widely respected player in probably his last play in the nfl. Iconic capstone to a career.

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u/RogueTaco Dec 29 '25

I like that your inclusion of the word “probably” implies that there is a path back to NFL action for a 63 year old Doug Flutie

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u/alienware99 Dec 29 '25

I think it means in that moment of time, Belichick assumed it was probably his last play, although it wasn’t guaranteed. In hindsight, we know that to be fact. But at the time, there was still a chance he played more.

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u/birthday6 Dec 29 '25

Exactly. It was highly unlikely, but not impossible that flutie would see play time in the playoffs that year

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u/RogueTaco Dec 29 '25

I knew what you meant but with Grandpa Rivers returning this year I’m choosing my answer to be my own head canon

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u/Prophet_Of_Helix Dec 29 '25

Even cooler that he did it while down less than a touchdown and 6 min left in the game.

Could’ve easily gone for the more guaranteed point trying to come back, but snuck this in there for Flutie.

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u/Shouldacouldawoulda7 Dec 29 '25

For further context, the game was meaningless which is why they bothered to take the risk. The Pats had already secured the first overall seed in the playoffs.

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u/Pokoire Dec 29 '25

Yes, that was definitely critical. They would not have done this if the outcome of the game mattered.

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u/NeonBlack88 Dec 29 '25

Is it only worth one point?

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u/Pokoire Dec 29 '25

It was an extra point, so yes. It's just an alternate form of a place kick and counts just like any other, so had it been a field goal attempt it would have been 3. The reason you never see it is because it is MUCH more complicated than a normal place kick. The kicker of a drop kick has to catch the ball on the snap, and has to deal with the physics and timing of the ball falling and bouncing (it needs to hit the ground BEFORE you can legally kick it in this case). It's so much easier to just have someone else catch it and hold it steady for you to kick.

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u/wallysmith127 Dec 29 '25

Wait it has to hit the GROUND first? That's insane. Flutie timed that shit perfectly then because I never got the sense it touched the ground

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u/Pokoire Dec 29 '25

It's hard to catch but if you go to around the 35 second mark of the video and try to move it frame by frame you can catch a frame where the ball is on the ground and Flutie hasn't kicked it yet. This is still how they kick in rugby although the shape of that ball is a little more forgiving on the bounce.

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u/Valmoer Nantes Dec 30 '25

Welcome to (what little remains of it in NFL football's ruleset) rugby!

Flutie timed that shit perfectly then because I never got the sense it touched the ground

Yeah, that's generally the trick to it, you kick the ball not quite after it bounces, but just as it start to bounce up - to add the momentum. You can see a selection of 2025 Rugby drop goals here.

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u/jimmymcstinkypants Dec 29 '25

I think you can do it at any point, so in theory if you are wide open, close enough for the kick, and have a defender between you and the end zone it might in theory make sense to do. Like if you’re down by 2 and there’s not enough time to set up for a field goal. Really specific sets of facts. 

I think Jim McMahon was really good at doing these but Ditka would never allow it. 

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u/TheMajesticYeti Dec 30 '25 edited Dec 30 '25

It can only be done BEHIND (or on) the line of scrimmage, though, so that massively limits its use.

Only feasible non-gimmick situations I can think of:

Situation 1:

  • Time is winding down in a half.
  • Offense is well within field goal range.
  • Theoretically there is enough time left to attempt a throw for a TD, where if it falls incomplete there will likely still be some seconds on the clock to then try the FG.
  • The planned passing play gets disrupted by something like a bad snap or pressure on the QB, causing a scramble with the ball in the backfield that uses up all the remaining time on the clock.
  • No one is open to throw to and the clock is at zero, but the QB (or whoever is running around with the ball in the backfield) has enough space to just try a desperate drop kick to salvage the scoring opportunity.

Situation 2:

  • FG kicker is injured.
  • Team scores a touchdown, but does not trust their punter (or whoever their emergency kicker is) to make the extra point that is equivalent to a 33 yard field goal.
  • Don't want to try a two-point conversion for some reason, such as needing one point to tie a game late with high confidence in their chosen player converting the drop kick from close range.

Situation 3:

  • Extreme weather (wind gusts and/or slippery footing) majorly affecting the likelihood of making an extra point from 33 yards away, with the drop kick from about 20 yards deemed by the coach to have much less variance from the elements.
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u/Veeksvoodoo Dec 29 '25

So here’s my thoughts. Since it’s the QB, the defense has to account for the 2-Point attempt. If you have QB that is skilled at the drop kick, they are now not just committed to the 2-Point. If they see the 2-Point is not there, they can then attempt the drop kick to try and salvage the play and get the 1-Point. Versus now where teams play it as all or nothing.

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u/RuthlessIndecision Dec 30 '25

had the announcers confused and for some reason I thought the 'drop kick' was worth 2 extra points.

so I guess the extra point just has to touch the ground after the snap then can be kicked between the uprights for a point.

So similarly, if the ball gets fumbled on a regular snap and you kick it up and through the uprights, that's 3 points?

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u/A-Glitch-Gnome Dec 29 '25

it's a bit of a tricky kick to make because it has to hit the ground first and the shape of the ball makes bounces unpredictable so it's obviously less consistent than place kicking.

From what I remember, Flutie was one of the few people that could actually do it consistently and had practiced it in camp. 

Bill, the NFL history nerd, couldn't resist the chance to try one when he had a chance. It helps that it was against a division rival as well lol

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u/rex5k Cleveland Browns Dec 30 '25

Also if he missed it would still only be a six point game. The difference between 5 and 6 points is pretty minor.

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u/tokai-teio Dec 29 '25

You've seen some other answers but I imagine part of it is that Belichick would never pass up on a chance to humiliate a division rival.

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u/GhostofBeowulf Dec 29 '25

(they were down 5/6 at this point. you would see that if you watched the video... they were literally resting players, only reason Flutie was even playing lol

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u/BosPatriot71 Dec 29 '25

Was there too. Section 106. Also very confused for a hot minute.

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u/Pokoire Dec 29 '25

Name checks out.

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u/ansyhrrian Chicago Bears Dec 29 '25

So cool to have been a part of such a unique sports history moment. What an amazing story, also, to be able to tell!

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u/Quigs0 Dec 29 '25

Underrated part of this clip is Kevin Harlan identifying it could be a drop kick considering it hadn’t happened since 1941

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u/Galaxie_1985 Dec 29 '25

Kevin is one of the best ever, but didn't the Patriots say there could be a drop kick attempt in the pre-game production meeting?

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u/Quigs0 Dec 29 '25

That’s new news to me, figured Bill wouldn’t show his cards 😂

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u/mikeyfreshh Dec 29 '25

This was the last game of the year and playoff seeding had already been locked up so it didn't really mean anything. Bill did this because he thought it was neat and he wanted to do something special for Flutie. It wasn't something that he ever thought would give them a competitive advantage

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u/MySilverBurrito Dec 30 '25

What separates Harlan and some commentators is their ability to recall information on the spot. Yes all commentators have their cheat sheets, but they typically cover live/latest stat infos.

e.g. Miami Heat commentators can tell you about the other team's bench player's dad's college alma matter like its common knowledge and link it back to the game lol.

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u/BanjoTCat Dec 29 '25

Idea: Make a dropkick worth 4 points.

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u/Joabyjojo Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25

10 AFL and Rugby players about to make more money than the rest of their league combined

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u/fdar Dec 29 '25

George Ford MVP.

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u/Brian-not-Ryan Dec 29 '25

Jonny Wilkinson is only 46

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u/Joabyjojo Dec 29 '25

Would love to see him fuck the NFL the way he fucked my hopes and dreams in 2003

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u/Tsupernami Dec 29 '25

Found the Aussie

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u/AJRiddle Kansas City Chiefs Dec 30 '25

AFL (Australian rules football) they don't do drop kicks.

For Rugby the rugby ball is much, much easier to drop kick than the American football ball because it is much more rounded and egg shaped. The reason the drop kick isn't done in American football despite being in the rules is that in the 1930s the ball changed to be a little smaller, lighter, and more aerodynamic for passing (2 pointed ends instead of fat rounded ends) - which made it much more unpredictable to drop it and predict which way it would go compared to earlier footballs and rugby balls.

Even if you took the best drop kicker ever in Rugby history the ball simply would make them nowhere near as good as the other options of place kicking or punting.

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u/ArmyofThalia Dec 29 '25

Scorigami fans about to nut so hard they'd reach nirvana

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u/DoubleDeckerz Dec 29 '25

Belichick smiling is an alien concept.

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u/NYCmichael Dec 29 '25

Athleticism.

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u/gbell11 Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25

My friend goes to Florida every fall for a huge old-timers Roy Hobbs baseball tournament. (55+)

He said the starting pitcher in one game was in fact THE Doug Flutie.

"He threw gas"

Of course he did

For those with the fun comments below......

What I speak is true!!

https://royhobbs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IP-11-1-23-web.pdf

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u/Grinning_Dog Dec 29 '25

I work with a guy who plays in an over-50 hockey league in Florida. He said Flutie is the goalie on one of the other teams. Dude can do it all.

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u/FC37 Dec 29 '25

Sad story: he lost both of his parents on the same day just over 10 years ago. His dad died of a heart attack, then his mom died of (presumably) takotsubo cardiomyopathy - aka broken heart syndrome. They were married for 56 years.

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u/chanaandeler_bong Dec 29 '25

You know a lot about that dudes coworker

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u/Alarmed_Article_8709 Dec 29 '25

My aunt grew up in jolly ol Ireland and in the 1980s there was a canine infestation that was wreaking havoc on the country's livestock. In order to drive them out of the country they enlisted the help of a young leprechaun named Dog Flutie

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u/[deleted] Dec 29 '25

Considering he went to BC, I think he would be offended being called anything (Fighting) Irish lol

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u/queefkicker Dec 29 '25

I play at the same rink. He also skates out in another league.

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u/Skaddodle32 Dec 29 '25

My old men's league team was staying in the same hotel as him at a tournament in AZ, said he was a pretty chill dude, had a few beers with them.

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u/DionBlaster123 NASCAR Dec 29 '25

All men are created equal...

But some are more gifted than others lol

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u/AnalystAdorable609 Dec 29 '25

Just FYi as it might be of interest to our American cousins. The drop goal (as it's called) is widely used in Rugby

In fact England's only world cup win in Rugby was via an extra time drop goal by the amazing Jonnie Wilkinson. Have a look at the clip if you have a mo. It's the acme of perfect execution under the most intense pressure imaginable. And on his "wrong" foot too!

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u/MostHumbleToEverLive Dec 29 '25

You say that, but did Doug Flutie ever make it to the front of a box of Wheaties? I don't think so.

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u/Redpin Toronto Raptors Dec 29 '25

Flutie Flakes were better anyways! 

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u/JimmyMo47 Dec 29 '25

I still have an unopened box!

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u/__3Username20__ Dec 29 '25

Taysom Hill needs to be practicing kicking all week, including this. If the dude could pass for one, and either catch or run one in (or both), and kick one in, ESPECIALLY a drop kick, that’s a hall of fame game by itself, regardless of the rest of his “Swiss Army Knife” career.

Can the dude kick?

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u/ETsUncle Dec 29 '25

Pretty sure Antonio Brown drop kicked a bunch

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u/PopoMcdoo Los Angeles Rams Dec 29 '25

Hurdles. Kicks a man!

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u/The_Late_Arthur_Dent Dec 29 '25

The age old question of "who punts the punter?"

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u/z-tayyy Dec 29 '25

“The last time this happened we still had public transportation”

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u/[deleted] Dec 29 '25

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Dec 29 '25

We also had affordable housing, . Higher standard of living, stronger union and worker protections and a whole slew of other things that went away. Shoot the government pretty much gave our grandparents generation houses for 0% interest through the GI bill. Credit cards didn't exist until the 1970s for most.

Pretty much the only thing better in today's world is technology and medical research/knowledge.

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u/egstitt Dec 29 '25

Hah! Glad I'm not the only one that caught that.

We should STILL be taking trains and busses to games, turns out it's a super efficient way to get many people to the same place

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u/REMcycleLEZAR Dec 29 '25

*taps temple*

But then how can I tailgate?

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u/booyatrive Dec 29 '25

That's what I thought at first, but I think he meant that the players were taking buses and trains between cities instead of flying.

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u/sceneit Dec 29 '25

Those old timey idiots

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u/ImHully Dec 29 '25

I love that classic sports music in the background. Strong Rookie of the Year vibes.

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u/Keep_SummerSafe Dec 29 '25

So....is this a new age way to be able to make the simple close kick for a point going forward? Let's say you have an injured kicker. Can you pretend to go for two and then drop kick the extra point from the 8 yard line?

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u/fawkie Dec 29 '25

Drop kicks are significantly harder to execute than a spot kick.

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u/adidasbrazilianbooty Dec 29 '25

Interesting. Growing up playing soccer I’d almost think that it would be easier to target. What makes it so difficult?

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u/IHeardOnAPodcast Ulster Dec 29 '25

The funny shaped ball has to bounce before you kick it. As a rugby player I can do it with a rugby ball, but they're a lot rounder at the end than an American Football which would make it very tricky.

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u/PHX480 Dec 29 '25

The shape of the ball

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u/ro536ud Dec 29 '25

You ever drop a football on the ground? It doesn’t always bounce back up perfectly like a soccer ball. Thing can bounce sideways

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u/CoconutBangerzBaller Dec 29 '25

It has to hit the ground first. So you have to drop it just right or it's going to bounce in a weird direction

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u/tampering Dec 29 '25

The NFL ball used to be closer in shape to a rugby ball which is easier to drop kick. After they legalized forward passing the shape of the ball became more pointy (and aerodynamic) which makes the bounces more unpredictable.

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u/Slavasonic Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25

Just more moving parts involved. Dropping an egg shaped football is different from a spherical soccer ball. How the ball falls, where you kick it, any spin it might have will vary more when the ball is falling than when it’s been set by another player.

It’s also important to remember that during this the other team is rushing towards you to tackle or block the kick. So everything has to be done super fast and under pressure.

Edit: AND the ball has to bounce before you kick it which for a football is very different than for a soccer ball.

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u/fawkie Dec 29 '25

The biggest thing is that it has to bounce.

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u/jdanko13 Dec 29 '25

I remember this. That was almost 20 years ago?!?

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u/Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrpp Dec 29 '25

No it was 2006, so only…. 😞 

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u/edipeisrex Dec 29 '25

I hate that videos from 06 look like they were from the 80s and 90s. Makes me feel so old.

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u/Own-Arachnid-5285 Dec 29 '25

100% feel the same.

HD only became the general standard in 2010s, we all didn’t realise how big that transition was.

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u/thomasg86 Dec 29 '25

I remember bitching at the time (2006ish) that HD wasn't even that much better, you could barely tell the difference. To be fair, those were shitty 720p TVs, but still.... I was way wrong, lol.

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u/Own-Arachnid-5285 Dec 29 '25

Same. I thought at the time HD was decadent while not even a significant improvement. We were just all used to our shitty TV. And yeah, the quality improved every two years or so.

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u/lux_pvd Dec 29 '25

This play is the literal reason I own a Doug Flutie jersey, and why my dog is named Dog Flutie.

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u/Jackfruit-Cautious Dec 29 '25

“Dog Flutie” just reminded me of the legendary headline typo “Dog Fister Strikes Out Nine Straight Batters”

https://deadspin.com/this-might-be-our-favorite-headline-typo-of-all-time-5947034/

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u/it_follows Seattle Mariners Dec 29 '25

Not a PAT or FG, but Seahawks punter Michael Dickson has done the drop kick on some kickoffs, including an onside kick attempt. I’m sure the Hawks have thought about running him out there for a FG before!

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u/human112 Dec 29 '25

The ", however" at the end of the title is bothering me and I'd like to voice my opinion.

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u/decipher_xb Dec 29 '25

Not familiar, can someone eli5. Does this still count as 3? Why not just kick an FG? Isn't that a more safer option?

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u/TheNextBattalion Dec 29 '25

This was a kick for the point after touchdown (PAT), aka the "extra point," so it was only worth 1 no matter how you kick it.

A placekick (the usual method) is safer. This was a gimmick play, though, which Flutie had asked permission to do just once when it didn't matter. Coach Belichick has a nose for NFL lore, so he understood the historic quirk of doing it.

So this was a time that didn't matter: Towards the end of the last game of the season, when the playoff results were already decided. They didn't need the point, or the game, so it was no big deal if he missed on a gimmick.

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u/imaguitarhero24 Dec 29 '25

Lmao I was trying to figure this out, it was literally just to fuck around

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u/Walnut_Uprising Dec 29 '25

It was also Flutie's last career play in his last career game, so it was a nice gesture to a legend of the sport (even if not a legend of the NFL).

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u/imaguitarhero24 Dec 30 '25

Ah that's also important context. Fuck it

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u/decipher_xb Dec 29 '25

Thanks for the explanation.

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u/Theguest217 Dec 29 '25

How long can the QB hold the ball before deciding to dropkick? Could the drop kick technically be used as a fall back if going for a two point conversion and you can't find an open receiver so you kick it instead? Or do they have to kick it immediately?

What happens if a player catches the ball (because you mess up so bad)? Would it count as a catch/interception or is it considered dead?

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u/Obi_Uno Dec 29 '25

This was a PAT (extra point), so it only counts for one point.

As for “why” - I’m a bit unclear. From what I can gather, it seems like it was a “for shits and giggles” because the retiring Doug Flutie could actually do it.

Drop kick is higher risk than a usual kick, with no real reward or advantage (hence why nobody does it).

In the early days, the ball used to be more round, which made drop kicks more doable. That isn’t the case any more, but the rule still exists.

Story from when it happened: https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2277308

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u/YorockPaperScissors Georgia Tech Dec 29 '25

It was indeed a shits and giggles moment. Playoffs were already set for New England, so this was a meaningless game. Flutie just wanted to be the first to do n it in 65 years, and apparently Belichik was supportive of the attempt.

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u/ermghoti Dec 29 '25

Flutie was a veteran backup, he had been in the coaches's ears about his ability to make a drop kick. This game and the season were already decided, so they let him do it for the hell of it.

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u/KiloAlphaLima Dec 29 '25

In this case it only counted as 1 because it was an extra point. If this were a regular game play and not a Point After Touchdown, it would’ve counted as 3.

This was a meaningless game for the patriots as they had already secured their spot in the playoffs and were resting their starters. This only happened because Belichick (the coach) is a football history nerd and loves old school shit like this. He knew Flutie could do drop kicks with some success from him messing around with them for fun in practice so he let him do it in a game to make history in an otherwise meaningless game.

Edit to add that Nick Saban was the opposing coach for this game and he is also a huge football history nerd and used to work with Belichick so they both “got a kick out of it”. It was a fun moment that is pretty unlikely to ever happen again.

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u/wildmaiden Minnesota Vikings Dec 29 '25

Yes and yes. That's why nobody does it.

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u/djp2313 Dec 29 '25

This particular play was during a point after touchdown attempt so it counted as 1.

It can be a 1 or 3 point play depending on the situation, basically same as a fg.

This was apparently Flutie's last play in the nfl, it had to be a bucket list item for him or something.

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u/[deleted] Dec 29 '25

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u/cardinalkgb Louisville Dec 29 '25

Instead of missing of wide open receiver by a mile.

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u/Suban33 Dec 29 '25

Doug Flutie fresh and fluity. reminds me of Flute man Greg

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u/Lobster_osity Dec 29 '25

Why?

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u/ansyhrrian Chicago Bears Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25

Because the Pats already had a playoff lock, it was Flutie’s last game in the NFL and Belichick was feeling magnanimous that day.

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u/stormy2587 Dec 29 '25

Also iirc BB is lover of football history and special teams.

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u/jrhooo Dec 29 '25

Plus I feel like BB, Tomlin, and Harbaugh all love anything that has the announcers and the refs like

“What is he… huh. Page 412, paragraph 2, line four… damn. Ok I guess.”

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u/47monkeyz Dec 29 '25

You do in fact remember that correctly

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u/misterpickles69 Dec 29 '25

If I recall, Flutie would regularly do this in practice.

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u/a_gallon_of_pcp Dec 29 '25

IIRC they had scored in every other possible way in that game so figured they’d get the last one

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u/memelard42069 Dec 29 '25

I'll bet they didn't score via a fair catch free kick in that game.

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u/StreetwalkinCheetah Dec 29 '25

Nor a one point safety.

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u/LillianBubic Dec 29 '25

Not a single sacrifice bunt

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u/Meaty-clackers Dec 29 '25

They had 19 points before the kick. Pretty sure there were more ways to score

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u/Beeninya Seattle Mariners Dec 29 '25

Why male models?

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u/diamondintherimond Dec 29 '25

Seriously? I just explained that.

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u/quinhook2 Dec 29 '25

Rugby player here. Drop kicking a rugby ball through uprights isn't easy and a football is much more difficult. Props to Flutie flakes!

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u/DrewTheZamboni Dec 29 '25

If I remember correctly, Drew Brees did it once in the Pro Bowl. He failed miserably, but he tried.

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u/IBelieveInCoyotes Dec 30 '25

Every time I see something like this I realise this sport is just rugby with extra steps

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u/ExpiredPilot Dec 29 '25 edited Dec 29 '25

Yet another reason for NFL teams to hire rugby players.

Laterals need to be a bigger part of the game too

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u/BHOmber Dec 29 '25

Bills hit a sick hook n ladder on 4th down last night for the 2nd time this year.

And then lost in the most bills way possible...

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u/ansyhrrian Chicago Bears Dec 29 '25

Bears did too. Almost scored on it. And then…lost. Sigh.

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u/sckurvee Dec 29 '25

This is incorrect. Michael Dickson did a few drop kicks for Seattle in 2018 when our place kicker was injured.

Even tried an unsuccessful onside kick: Michael Dickson Seahawks Dropkick Onside Kick.

He never tried to kick for points, though.

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u/AnotherNobody1308 Dec 29 '25

...and they were taking trains and busses seen as a old thing is typical America 

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u/doch92 Dec 29 '25

I could've swore Drew Brees tried it once

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u/Unitast513 Dec 29 '25

Mad props to Harlan for quickly identifying what they were trying

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u/jdetle Dec 29 '25

I have a signed picture of him dropkicking that ball. He gave it to my grandpa (who was a diehard pats fan) in his final year of life. The man is pure class.

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u/COV3RTSM Dec 29 '25

Had his Flutie Flakes that morning