The NFL has completed the process of changing the catch rule.
League owners voted unanimously Tuesday afternoon to adopt the new language defining a catch that was recommended by the league's competition committee last week. It was one of seven rules changes approved for the 2018 season.
The playing rules & bylaws approved by @NFL clubs this morning pic.twitter.com/vyfeqLybLl
— Michael Signora (@NFLfootballinfo) March 27, 2018
The new definition for a catch will be as follows:
After much deliberation & input from coaches, players, @NFLLegends, & club executives, the @NFL Competition Committee will recommend the following language simplifying the catch rule at the Annual Meeting next week. pic.twitter.com/hJwH5YYBRK
— Al Riveron (@alriveron) March 21, 2018
Under this interpretation of the rule, controversially overturned plays such as those by Dez Bryant against the Green Bay Packers and Jesse James against the New England Patriots will be ruled catches in the future.
As we wrote at the time the competition committee released its recommendation for the rule, a simplified definition will certainly help matters, but the key to the rule's success will be consistency of enforcement. Unless the league and the referees enforce the rule the same way, every game, there will still be complaints no matter how many times the rule is changed.
