Doug Flutie was a legend. From his famous Hail Mary at Boston College to his CFL dominance to even making a Pro Bowl and helping create Flutie Flakes, there was seemingly nothing the quarterback couldn't do. He was never the biggest or fastest guy on the field, but he had heart and a few tricks up his sleeve. He saved his best act for last, too.
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By the time the 2005 NFL season rolled around, Flutie was in the winter of his career. Having turned 43 in the middle of the campaign, he was nothing more than an emergency backup quarterback for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. However, he was on the roster and ready to step up if he was needed.
Flutie only threw 10 passes that year, completing five of them for 29 yards. He wasn't used much at all, but he was given one last shining moment and highlight in his final regular-season game with a historic drop kick extra point.
Doug Flutie's Drop Kick Extra Point
Drop kick Flutie!
Throwing it back to the time @DougFlutie converted a drop kick vs. Miami in 2006. pic.twitter.com/C9ieyoxesE
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 26, 2019
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The game between the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins on January 1, 2006 at Gillette Stadium was pretty meaningless. The Patriots had locked up the AFC East title and were content with their playoff seed. So they sat Tom Brady most of the game, letting Matt Cassel manage the rest.
After Cassel found Tim Dwight for a touchdown in the fourth quarter in Foxborough, it was Doug Flutie's turn to have some fun...as a kicker.
At first, it looked like the Patriots were going for two. Why else would the 43-year-old Flutie be in the game, right? Well, he stunned everyone by doing a successful drop kick for the extra point. He split the uprights off the bounce to perfection and even made head coach Bill Belichick smile on the sideline.
"I think Doug deserves it. He is a guy that adds a lot to this game of football, has added a lot through his great career — running, passing and now kicking," Belichick said, "He's got a skill and we got a chance to let him use it, and I am happy for him. First time since '41. It might be 60 years again, too."
Watching it was certainly odd, but it was also historic. According to ESPN, nobody had made a drop kick for points since Ray "Scooter" McLean converted one to help the Chicago Bears beat the New York Giants in the 1941 NFL Championship Game.
Drop kicking is still part of the rule book, yet Flutie's was the first drop kick in an NFL game that wasn't a kickoff in over 60 years. It's currently the last drop kick converted in the league, too.
The Patriots didn't make it to the Super Bowl that season and Flutie retired, but nobody will forget his drop kick. It was the perfect sendoff for his legendary career.
This post was originally published on June 11, 2020.
