<P> The drop kick was often used in early football as a surprise tactic . The ball would be snapped or lateraled to a back, who would fake a run or pass, but then would kick the field goal instead . This method of scoring worked well in the 1920s and early 1930s, when the football was rounder at the ends (similar to a modern rugby ball). Early football stars such as Charles Brickley, Frank Hudson, Jim Thorpe, Paddy Driscoll, and Al Bloodgood were skilled drop - kickers; Driscoll in 1925 and Bloodgood in 1926 hold a tied NFL record of four drop kicked field goals in a single game . Driscoll's 55 yard drop kick in 1924 stood as the unofficial record for field goal range until Bert Rechichar kicked a 56 - yard field goal (by placekick) in 1953 . </P> <P> In 1934, the ball was made more pointed at the ends . The creation of the pointed football is generally credited to Shorty Ray, at the time a college football official and later the NFL's head of officiating . This made passing the ball easier, as was its intent, but made the drop kick obsolete, as the more pointed ball did not bounce up from the ground reliably . The drop kick was supplanted by the place kick, which cannot be attempted out of a formation generally used as a running or passing set . The drop kick remains in the rules, but is seldom seen, and rarely effective when attempted . In Canadian football the drop kick can be taken from any point on the field, unlike placekicks which must be attempted behind the line of scrimmage . </P> <P> Before the NFL--AFL merger, the last successful drop kick in the NFL was executed by Scooter McLean of the Chicago Bears in their 37--9 victory over the New York Giants on December 21, 1941, in the NFL Championship game at Chicago's Wrigley Field . Though it was not part of the NFL at the time, the All - America Football Conference saw its last drop kick November 28, 1948, when Joe Vetrano of the San Francisco 49ers drop kicked an extra point after a muffed snap against the Cleveland Browns . </P> <P> The only successful drop kick in the NFL since the 1940s was by Doug Flutie, the backup quarterback of the New England Patriots, against the Miami Dolphins on January 1, 2006, for an extra point after a touchdown . Flutie had estimated "an 80 percent chance" of making the drop kick, which was called to give Flutie, 43 at the time, the opportunity to make a historic kick in his final NFL game; the drop kick was his last play in the NFL . After the game, New England coach Bill Belichick said, "I think Doug deserves it," and Flutie said, "I just thanked him for the opportunity ." </P>

Who did the last drop kick in the nfl