NFL Owners Vote on New Catch Rule Today

There is a constant question surrounding the NFL game: what is considered a catch?

During an NFL owners meeting on Sunday, the owners needed to discuss multiple issues. And, one of those issues is a new catch rule.

So, the eight-man Competition Committee team proposed what they came up with.

After the meeting, NFL Senior Vice President of Officiating Al Riveron tweeted the idea out for everyone to see.

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

— NFL Officiating (@NFLOfficiating) March 21, 2018

What is a Catch?

Over the years, there have been multiple questionable catches from the Dez Bryant non-catch in the 2014 NFC divisional playoff game against Green Bay to the Jesse James catch in 2017.

According to Sports Illustrated’s Peter King, Riveron went over these two catches during the meeting.

He says that with the new guidelines both of these controversial non-catches would be considered catches.

.@NFL Competition Committee proposal noted in the previous tweet simplifies the catch process & allows for plays such as the @DezBryant (2014 post-season) and @JJames18_ (2017 season) to become catches. pic.twitter.com/K2caIndpGZ

— NFL Officiating (@NFLOfficiating) March 21, 2018

What is this New Rule?

So, what exactly is this new rule?

The new catch rule breaks down into three steps:

• Does the player have control?
• Does the player put two feet down OR any body part down?
• Does the player do a football move?

While the first two steps make sense, the third one is a bit more confusing: what is considered a football move?

So, Riveron explained what he means by football move:

• A player reaches out with possession.
• The player pulls the ball back.
• Player who catches the ball makes a third step.
• The player protects himself

Decisions, Decisions

Any change proposal to NFL rules needs at least 24 votes out of the 32 owners to get approval.

As a matter of fact, the owners voted on this new catch rule this morning, and the owners’ vote was unanimous.

All 32 NFL teams unanimously approve changes to the catch rule: https://t.co/kopOWV5xdT (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/ZyrzGMyzH2

— NFL (@NFL) March 27, 2018

The Dallas Cowboys Chief Operating Officer, Executive Vice President, and Director of Player Personnel Stephen Jones says he thinks this new rule will help improve the game.

In addition, the owners approved these rules shown below:

The playing rules & bylaws approved by @NFL clubs this morning pic.twitter.com/vyfeqLybLl

— Michael Signora (@NFLfootballinfo) March 27, 2018