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NFL VP confirms there will be changes in language to the controversial catch rule
by Kevin Skiver

After a season that was marred by controversial call after controversial call with the catch rule, the NFL has confirmed that it's doing something about it. It was reported at the end of February that the rule would see changes in its language, including the elimination of the phrase "going to the ground," and it has now been confirmed by NFL vice president Troy Vincent in an interview with The Washington Post.

"We worked backward," Vincent said. "We looked at plays and said: Do you want that to be a catch? And then we applied that to the rule."

Vincent added that the rule will lead to changes in language, not just how the rules are applied.

"Slight movement of the ball, it looks like we'll reverse that," he said. "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."

Last season, there were a few controversial calls, perhaps most notably Jesse James' "touchdown" toward the end of regulation in the Steelers' loss to the Patriots. According to Vincent, the new rule would make that a completion, in addition to some other notable calls in the past (like Dez Bryant's no-catch against the Packers in the 2015 divisional round).

"The Dez Bryant play, that'd be a catch," Vincent said. "The Jesse James play, that'd be a catch."

So ... Yay? Take solace Cowboys and Steelers fans, if those games had happened a few years later you might have won them.

The new language of the rule doesn't seem to be without its flaws. The idea of something "looking" like a catch is open to a lot of subjectivity itself. However, it's a step in the right direction. The catch rule wasn't written with instant replay in mind, which can look at every jostle of the ball. Now, officials will do more officiating regarding what's a catch and what's not, and perhaps some of the controversy will subside heading into next season.

The proposal requires the approval of 24 out of 32 owners, but by all appearances that's a formality with commissioner Roger Goodell's public support for the change. The vote will be held next week in Orlando at the NFL's annual meeting.

Seems like we'll be seeing a lot more eye test or "that looked like a catch" in replay situations. More subjectivity isn't always good. We'll see...

Smart move. Those rules where ridiculous.

possession and two feet down is a catch. If it comes loose when you hit the ground, it's a fumble. Just like it has always been since Pop Warner ball.

If you catch the ball and take two steps and drop it, it's a friggin fumble. Same with if you catch it, pull it to your body, and hit the ground and the ball comes out, FUMBLE.

If you have a ball between both hands, and you hit the ground hands and ball first, the ball is going to move. IMO, the catch is made when the receiver is upright and the ball is in his hands. I can't see how this can be such a hard thing to understand.

Glad they are revising this rule. It's the worst rule in sports [that I bother watching...LOL] I hope it becomes more clear.

Clarity and simplicity was needed here .. let's hope this helps

The ground cant cause a fumble. Thats a pretty good rule that hasnt changed.

Was just gonna say that.

shoulda coulda woulda

They will change the language and NFL referees will now explain whether it was a catch or not in Greek.

And as I'm Greek that will help....

To me that is the worst rule. You want an exciting game, lose that rule. All the ambiguity stems from that rule.

Make sure ya translate on game day for us...

The ground can’t cause a fumble in the process of being tackled....if you hit the ground without being touched and lose the ball you just fumbled...which is what happened in the James case...execept he “recovered his own fumble”......guarantee that if he actually lost the ball and Pats recovered on that play.....Pittsburgh is screaming no catch.

I wish that they would change the fumble in the end zone rule.

If a player fumbles the ball out of bounds at the 1/1000000th of an inch line, his team gets the ball at the out of bounds spot. If the ball goes into the end zone by 1000000th of an inch, then goes out of bounds, then the ball turns over to the opposing team. It's just stupid.

I watched a video with Rich Eisen on a telephone call with Troy Vincent. Vincent said they discussed that and decided not to change it at this time.

The only link I could find on that phone call included only the portion of the discussion of the proposed catch rule.

A rule I'd like to see changed is the one that requires a review if a play is called a TD, but if it's close but not ruled a TD the team is required to risk a time-out to have it reviewed. A couple years ago the Browns had a non-TD rule reversed to a TD and I saw it the other night watching a replay of a 2017 game in which the call was changed to a TD.

On a close call, why should the team have to risk losing a time-out just to get the call right? Even worse, if they have no time-outs to risk they can't challenge. WTF?

What bothers me with the rulings in 2017; if the ball in a runner's hands breaks the plane of the end zone, it's a touchdown, even if he looses control of it in the next split second. But a receiver can catch the ball, have it in control, break the plane, then if the ball moves hitting the ground it's a non-catch. If having control when the ball breaks the plane determines one, it should determine the other.

Bring back "traps" traps should not be a catch.

4a could be very important in the future.

The ground can cause a fumble, even in the act of being tackled. I am not sure why everyone always says otherwise.

Amen brother! So glad for the change. It's common sense.