What happens after the Chiefs’ defense scores a safety? Here’s how a free kick works
During the Kansas City Chiefs’ first 2024 preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, wide receiver Mecole Hardman accidentally awarded the Jags a two-point safety through a new NFL kickoff rule.
When this happened, Kansas City was forced to kick off, giving the Jaguars possession of the ball.
In order to score a safety, the team playing defense must stop the other team’s forward progress in the end zone. A safety can also be scored through an offensive penalty in the end zone.
But what happens after a safety is scored? A free kick is awarded to resume the game.
It’s different from a kickoff
According to NFL rules, per NFL Football Operations, a free kick occurs after the defense scores a safety. That kick is known as a safety kick. The team that was scored upon must put the ball into play by taking a free kick from the 20-yard line instead of the 35-yard line, from which kickoffs normally occur.
Platte County High School football coach Bill Utz said the kick after a safety is treated just like a typical kickoff. The difference comes in where the team must kick the ball. “It’s just about where it’s located and where you kick it off from,” Utz said.
According to the NFL Rule Book, a free kick is “a kickoff, safety kick or onside kick that puts the ball in play to start a free kick down.”
Utz said a free kick can be any undefended kick. “A kickoff is a free kick,” he said. “A field goal can be a free kick but can only happen after a fair catch. It can be a tee, holder or drop-kick.”
A tee is used for kickoffs, which start each half and occur after each score. Drop-kicks can be used for a safety kick, but Utz said this is very rare. A punt is also allowed after a safety.
How common are free kicks?
Utz said free kicks normally happen during kickoff for high school and professional football, but their usage on other occasions is rare.
A receiving team can score a touchdown from a free kick. Once the ball is kicked, it is officially a live ball, Utz said. The kick is required to put the ball into play, however, so the team that’s kicking couldn’t score directly off that free kick.
“The free kick ends the moment (the kicker) kicks the ball, so theoretically, no — (the kicking team) cannot score a touchdown off a free kick, because it’s impossible. But the returner could score,” Utz said.
This story was originally published January 16, 2025 at 2:11 PM.