In an effort to clarify the confusing catch rule, the NFL’s Vice President of Officiating Dean Blandino told NFL Media that the league is taking steps to better define a completion.
Blandino appeared on NFL Network and said he has reached out to former wide receivers, including Randy Moss, Steve Largent, Tim Brown, Cris Carter and Chad Lewis as well as injured Green Bay Packers wideout Jordy Nelson. The objective was to solicit input regarding what Blandino called an ambiguous rule.
“It was a really good group and a healthy discussion about what is a catch, what isn’t a catch. We looked at a lot of plays over the last 10 to 15 years and got their feedback, and we’ll share that with the competition committee when we got through that process in February.”
The receivers provided insight to Blandino about what is going through someone’s head as he attempts to make a certain type of catch.
“Just to hear from their perspective, having done it for so long and made so many amazing catches, just what is going through a receiver’s mind when he jumps up for the ball or he’s going to the ground. I think the biggest thing was the receivers and the players, they’ll go by whatever rule it is. Just give us that direction and we’ll abide by it.”
Pass-catchers certainly would appreciate some clarification heading into the new season. So would the fans who support the teams and bettors whose money hinges on whether or not something was a catch.
This season provided a handful of test cases but one major contradiction.
Odell Beckham dropped a ball after getting both feet into the end zone against the New England Patriots that cost the New York Giants a win. However, Golden Tate’s butter-fingered touchdown against the Chicago Bears was actually overturned from an interception.
Of course, this basically goes back to the famous Dez Bryant “not a catch” in the 2014 Divisional Round against the Packers that played a major role in the Dallas Cowboys not advancing to the NFC Championship.
Hopefully, Blandino’s efforts in meeting with some of the NFL’s greats will result in clearing up some of the headache calls next season.