Before Cameron Dicker’s successful 57-yard throwThe last time a team attempted a clean catch kick was the Panthers in 2019. Joey Slye had a 60-yard attempt during a London game.
But before that, 49ers kicker Phil Dawson attempted one from 71 yards in a game against the then-St. Louis Rams back in 2013.
San Francisco’s head coach that season?
Jim Harbaugh, of course, a man who spoke of his love for the play after Thursday night’s 34-27 win over Denver.
“It’s my favorite rule in football,” Harbaugh said. “I’ve tried to get one of those like every game.”
Maybe Harbaugh was being a little hyperbolic there. But it is a situation he has thought a lot about and prepared his team for.
“It’s the first one we’ve done,” Harbaugh said. “We tried one with the 49ers, I think it was like a 70-yard game. Mr. Dawson. I wanted it so bad that I attempted a 71-yard shot. But it’s my favorite rule. And Cam Dicker stepped up and did it. And I thought that was a great boost — to get the momentum back at halftime.”
Given all that, Harbaugh was asked if when he saw the penalty after the fair catch, he thought, “This is my moment.”
“Sort of,” Harbaugh said with a smile. “Pretty much how it happened. And I was also really happy because Coach (Ryan) Ficken had gone over him this week. They don’t go over it every week, but this week they went over it. So, (we did) we took some time out and got everything completely ready.
“But yeah, I was trying to do the math in my head: Where is that flag? And I would be on the side of 50. So this is our chance, this is our moment. And the other option is a Hail Mary (in the) without time. But we have Cameron Dicker. “So that’s our guy.”
A reporter started asking about another topic, but Harbaugh wasn’t finished.
“The nice thing about the free throw is that you don’t have to go back 8 yards from the center either,” he said. “You do it right on the spot. So, it’s a great job.”
Of course, it was also the first converted attempt since 1976. Especially because it was a victory, it was a moment Harbaugh won’t soon forget.
“It was great,” Harbaugh said. “That was really cool.”