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In 1970 Tom Dempsey of the New Orleans Saints kicked a 63 yard field goal. In the same game he kicked an 8 yard field goal. Is his 8 yard field goal the record for the 'shortest' field goal in NFL History?
No, the shortest field goal in NFL history I can find on record is this 6-yard field goal by Cleveland Browns kicker Don Cockroft.
http://www.mmbolding.com/Monday/The_First_Three_Monday_Night_Football_Games.htm
I'd disregard the above claim of Cockroft's 6-yard field goal for these reasons:
1. pro-football-reference.com has the only box score I could find for that game and lists it as being 27 yards. It was also the only FG scored in that game so there's no possible confusion between this FG and any others.
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197009210cle.htm
2. pro-football-reference.com also has Don Cockroft's career log for all of his made field goals and if you click on the "Dist" header it'll sort them out by distance. Doing this reveals that his shortest field goal was actually 8 yards and confirms that the 6-yard field goal claimed in the above link was indeed 27 yards once you locate that game in the middle of where his 27-yard field goals appear in that list.
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/c/cockrdon01/field-goals/
3. After spending several minutes searching on Google, I couldn't find any other sources to corroborate that link's claim of a 6-yard FG.
4. Field goals are attempted roughly 7 yards behind the line of scrimmage. Unless the format used to be different, this would suggest the line of scrimmage was one yard deep in the endzone.
Update:
After a little more research I found evidence of at least two 7-yard field goals, one in the NFL and the other in the AFL:
On September 26, 1954 George Blanda made one for the Bears against the Lions.
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/195409260det.htm
On September 29, 1968 Gino Cappelletti made one for the Patriots against the Broncos but this is grey area stuff regarding NFL history since it occurred in the AFL.
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196809290den.htm
What else can I help you with?
Points for a field in football?
3 points for a field goal in American Football
How long is a football field from goal to goal?
100 yards.
Can a punter kick a field goal during a football game?
Yes, a punter can kick a field goal during a football game.
Can you throw a field goal accurately in football"?
Yes, a player can throw a field goal accurately in football by kicking the ball through the goalposts.
When can a football field goal be made?
A football field goal can be made whenever a team is close to their goal line and on 4th down. If they feel they are unable to complete a pass or run to make a 1st down they can attempt a field goal and take 3 points rather than 6 with a touchdown.
What are 2 examples of decameters?
A end zone of a football field. Also a football goal, soccer goal, etc.
In football what happens if you miss a field goal on first down?
If the field goal is blocked, and you recover, you can re-kick another field goal. If you miss the field goal it is a turnover. So, it is best to kick your field goal on 4th down
Where is the goal line located on a football field?
The goal line in football is located at the end of the field, marking the boundary of the end zone where a team scores a touchdown.
What is the length of a football field from goal to goal post?
It is believed to be 116 yards.
What is the langth of a football field from goal post to goal post?
120 yards
Do they include the endzone in measuring the distance of a field goal in football?
Yes. The endzone is included in the distance of a field goal.
How can you get 5 points in football?
In football, you can get 5 points by kicking a field goal.
