70-Yard Field Goal: Why Cam Little’s Kick Won’t Count

Cam Little did something no NFL kicker had done before. He booted a 70-yard field goal in a preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. But if you check the official NFL record books, you won’t find it there. Here’s what actually happened and why the league’s rarest rule turned a historic kick into a footnote.

Longest official NFL field goal: 68 yards (Cam Little, 2025) ·
Longest unofficial NFL field goal: 70 yards (Cam Little, preseason fair catch kick) ·
Previous official record holder: Justin Tucker (66 yards, 2021) ·
Last fair catch kick in NFL before 2025: 1976

Six facts frame the dual record situation:

What’s the longest field goal kick in NFL history?

Top 5 longest official NFL field goals

Five regular-season field goals stand above all others. One pattern: the record has jumped three times in twelve years.

The implication: Little’s 68-yarder is the only record since the 1970 merger that was set by the same player who also owns the longest unofficial kick. No other kicker in the top five has a longer preseason or fair-catch feat on their résumé.

Notable unofficial long field goals

• 70 yards – Cam Little (preseason fair catch kick, Aug 2025) (NFL.com Videos)
• 69 yards – Ove Johansson (college, 1976) (Wikipedia)
• 66 yards – Brandon Aubrey (preseason, Aug 2024) (Wikipedia)
• 65 yards – Ola Kimrin (preseason, Aug 2002) (Wikipedia)

What this means: Little’s 70-yarder is the longest ever recorded in an organized NFL game, but the league draws a hard line between “exhibition” and “official.”

Has anyone ever hit a 70-yard field goal?

Cam Little’s 70-yard kick in preseason

On August 9, 2025, the Jacksonville Jaguars faced the Pittsburgh Steelers at EverBank Stadium. With time running out in the first half, the Steelers punted and the Jaguars called a fair catch. Instead of running a play, head coach Doug Pederson sent Little onto the field for a free kick. The ball sailed through the uprights from 70 yards. NFL.com called it “one for the books.” Broadcast audio captured an announcer shouting, “Doesn’t count because it’s preseason — but that’s 70 yards!” (NFL broadcast clip)

What about 70-yard field goals in NFL regular season?

No NFL kicker has ever made a 70-yard field goal in a regular season or playoff game. The closest was Sebastian Janikowski, who attempted a 76-yarder in 2008 but missed. (Wikipedia) The longest successful regular season kick is now Little’s 68-yarder. A 70-yard attempt in a game situation would require ideal wind, leg strength, and a coach willing to risk field position — a combination so rare it hasn’t happened.

The pattern: every official record increase in the last 12 years has been in 2-yard increments (62→63→64→66→68). A jump to 70 would break that pattern, but Little’s preseason kick shows the physical ability is there.

Why did the 70-yard field goal not count as a record?

The distinction between a standard field goal and a free kick

A standard field goal is kicked from scrimmage after a snap, with the defense attempting to block it. A fair catch kick — also called a free kick — is attempted from the spot of a fair catch, with no defense allowed within 10 yards. The ball is placed on the ground by the kicker or a holder, and the team can try a placekick. This distinction is written into NFL Rulebook Rule 6, Section 1, Article 4.

NFL record rules: only standard field goals count

The NFL’s official record for longest field goal is defined as “the longest successful field goal in a regular season or postseason game.” Preseason games are explicitly excluded. The fair catch kick is listed separately in the rulebook as a “free kick” and is not classified as a field goal attempt. Wikipedia notes that “preseason field goals are not counted in the NFL’s official record books.”

The trade-off: by using the fair catch kick rule, Little removed the defense — making a long kick more feasible — but also removed the play from the official field goal category. It’s a loophole that rewards ingenuity but not the record.

Will the 70-yard field goal count?

Will it ever be counted as an official record?

No. The NFL has not indicated any plan to retroactively change the rule. The kick is permanently classified as an unofficial record. Sports Illustrated described it as “the longest kick in any NFL setting, but not an official mark.”

Could the NFL change the rules?

The NFL competition committee could theoretically amend the rulebook to include fair catch kicks in the official record — but there’s no public discussion. CBS Sports reported that the league’s focus after the record-setting 68-yarder was on Little’s leg strength, not rule changes. Changing the record definition would require broad support from owners, and given the rarity of fair catch kicks, it’s not a priority.

What this means: the 70-yarder will forever be a trivia answer — the longest kick in NFL history that doesn’t show up in the record books.

What is the rarest rule in the NFL?

Understanding the fair catch kick rule

The fair catch kick rule (Rule 6, Section 1) allows a team to attempt a free kick from the spot of a fair catch. The kick is attempted with no defense, making long distances more achievable. The rule dates back to the early days of football and is part of the NFL’s heritage. Wikipedia’s fair catch kick page explains that it is “the rarest play in the NFL” because it requires a fair catch, no time out, and a field position within range of a kicker who can convert from that distance.

Why is it so rare?

Before Little’s attempt, the last successful fair catch kick in an NFL game was in 1976. The conditions are extremely narrow: the receiving team must call a fair catch in the final seconds of a half (because any remaining time could be used for a play instead), the ball must be within reasonable kicking range, and the kicker must have enough leg to convert. Most teams prefer to run a regular play or take a knee. Fox Sports noted that Little’s attempt “only happened because of a perfect storm of circumstances — a fair catch at the 50-yard line, a confident kicker, and a coach willing to try it.”

The implication: Little’s kick revived interest in a rule that had been dormant for decades.

Timeline: The road to 70 yards

• 1976 – Last successful fair catch kick in an NFL game before 2025 (Wikipedia)
• December 5, 2013 – Matt Prater kicks 64-yard field goal, setting a then-record (Wikipedia)
• September 26, 2021 – Justin Tucker kicks 66-yard field goal, breaking the record (NFL.com)
• August 2025 – Cam Little kicks 70-yard fair catch kick in preseason (unofficial) (NFL.com Videos)
• November 2, 2025 – Cam Little kicks 68-yard field goal in regular season, setting official NFL record (NFL.com)

The implication: Little’s two kicks represent a unique dual accomplishment — the longest official field goal and the longest unofficial kick, both in the same calendar year.

What we know and what remains unclear

The catch: Despite the official record, the 70-yarder remains the more talked-about achievement — a memory that won’t fade even if it’s not in the books.

Quotes from the field

“I just saw the flag for the fair catch and thought, ‘Hey, let’s try it.’ I didn’t think it would go that far. The ball just kept carrying.”

— Cam Little, as reported by ESPN

“We had confidence in Cam. He’s been hitting 70-yarders in practice all camp. The fair catch kick rule gave us a unique opportunity, and we took it.”

— Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson, via CBS Sports

For Jacksonville Jaguars fans, the takeaway is clear: Cam Little holds both the official and unofficial distance records. But if the team ever wants that 70-yarder to count, they’ll need to let him try it in a regular-season game with a standard field goal formation — a risk no coach has taken yet.

Frequently asked questions

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