Dec 17, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jesse James (81) fails to hold the ball as he falls across the goal line against New England Patriots free safety Devin McCourty (32) and strong safety Duron Harmon (30) during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. The play was ruled an incomplete pass. The Patriots won 27-24. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

After multiple controversial moments regarding what is or isn’t a catch, a new catch rule has been unanimously passed by every team according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The new rule may be too little too late for Cowboys fans and Dez Bryant, Steelers fans and Jesse James and any other fan who saw their team get screwed over by a bad call or even worse, get screwed over by a replay that was supposed to limit officiating mistakes, but hopefully this makes it. easier for players, coaches, fans and the NFL to figure out what a catch is.

The new rules for what a catch is consist of the following:

1. Control of the ball.

2. Two feet down or another body part.

3. A football move such as: A third step, reaching/extending for the line-to-gain or the ability to perform such an act.

This seemed like that was the case for many years but for some reason, the NFL devolved into reviewing every catch like it was the Zapruder Film dissecting frame by frame and coming up with such nonsense phrases like “not surviving the ground.”

The NFL is making an effort to simplify the process of a catch back to its former interpretation of the rule. The last thing anyone wants is confusion so this is at least a step in the right direction.

[NFL]

About Phillip Bupp

Producer/editor of the Awful Announcing Podcast and Short and to the Point. News editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. Highlight consultant for Major League Soccer as well as a freelance writer for hire. Opinions are my own but feel free to agree with them.

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