Officials discuss new catch rule
PLANO, Texas — Walt Coleman doesn’t see the revamped catch rule as a big change for NFL game officials.
The veteran referee believes they’ve already been calling catches the new way. If anything, Coleman figures there will be fewer reviews of their rulings.
“Most of the calls that seemed to create the most controversy, we ruled them correctly and then they were overturned on replay,” Coleman said Friday as officials gathered for their annual preseason meeting in the Dallas area. “From our standpoint, we’re just going to continue to officiate the plays like we have.”
League owners unanimously approved the changes in April — more than three years after Dez Bryant’s infamous catch that wasn’t in the Dallas Cowboys’ playoff loss at Green Bay, and just a few months since Pittsburgh’s Jesse James had a late go-ahead touchdown taken away in a loss to New England that damaged the Steelers’ hopes for the AFC’s top seed.
Essentially, the new rule eliminates the ground as a factor on catches while establishing three main criteria: having control of the ball; getting two feet or another body part down; making a football move, such as taking a third step or extending the ball.
On the plays involving Bryant and James, the ball moved slightly after hitting the ground as each player extended it forward, even though neither lost control of it. Both were ruled catches but overturned on review.
“I don’t think it was one thing” that led to the change, said senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron. “I think we got to a point where fans, the office, coaches, players, wanted to see more exciting plays. How do we make this particular play a catch? How do we take the Dez Bryant play and make it a catch?”
Riveron said the competition committee consulted with coaches, former players, game officials and supervisors, among others, to reach the rule change that was approved.
The committee cited overturned receptions by James and fellow tight end Zach Miller of the Chicago Bears last season among the dozens of plays it reviewed “dozens of times,” said committee chairman Rick McKay, president of the Atlanta Falcons.