It takes a specific circumstance for an NFL team to try a fair catch free kick. That's why one hadn't been made in almost 50 years.
On Thursday night, viewers got a lesson on a little-known rule: the fair catch free kick.
The Denver Broncos couldn't run out the rest of the first half against the Los Angeles Chargers so they punted with eight seconds left. On the kick, there was an interference penalty on the Broncos, when they got too close to the returner and contacted him as he made a fair catch signal. Time had run out in the half, but the Chargers got to run one untimed play because of the penalty.