NFL Catch Rule to be Changed

The NFL plans to simplify the peculiar catch rule that has been central to many controversial plays over the years.

The league will do this by eliminating two particularly confusing provisions from the rule. As well as that, the standard by which catch-or-no-catch rulings are made on instant replay reviews will be changed.

Currently, as a receiver catches the ball while going to ground, any movement of the ball results in an incompletion. The standard for overturning on-field decisions via video replay is that the footage is “clear and obvious”.

The new rule would eliminate the requirement for recievers to maintain complete control of the football while on the turf. In other words, as long as the receiver has control of the ball, a slight movement will not be penalized. It would also change the reply standard to “indisputable replay evidence.”

“We worked backward,” said Troy Vincent, the NFL’s executive vice president of football operations. “We looked at plays and said: Do you want that to be a catch? And then we applied that to the rule.

“Slight movement of the ball, it looks like we’ll reverse that. Going to the ground, it looks like that’s going to be eliminated. And we’ll go back to the old replay standard of reverse the call on the field only when it’s indisputable.”

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Controversial Calls

During the 2014 NFC Playoffs, WR Dez Bryant had a touchdown catch overturned against the Green Bay Packers. His Dallas Cowboys team went on to lose the game. Pittsburgh Steelers TE Jesse James during a 2017 regular season game against New England had a touchdown catch reversed.

Recently, two Philadelphia Eagles touchdown calls in the Super Bowl received attention. Both touchdowns were allowed to stand during their victory over the New England Patriots.

At the time, Eagles wide receiver Nelson Agholor highlighted the peculiarity of the rule:

“You can’t really worry about it because at the end of the day, it’s a weird rule. But, like, the guy catches a slant … takes it two steps and then on his own will dives in to score. It’s a touchdown. It’s obvious.”

The NFL could finalize the rule changes by next Tuesday. They could be presented to owners owners next week in Orlando at the NFL’s annual meeting.

For a rule to be changed, 24 of the 32 league teams must approve it. This seems likely, given the public lobbying by big-hitters Roger Goodell and Troy Vincent.