Since the end of the 2017 season, the NFL has actively worked toward readjusting the catch rule to erase any confusion and conflict that has been created from it. There has been a growing notion that the league is nearing a major change to the move.

This has brought into question about what past plays would have been ruled catches instead with this new proposal in place by the competition committee. In a recent post on Twitter, Senior Vice President of Officiating Al Riveron stated that both Dez Bryant's play in 2014 playoff game against the Green Bay Packers and Jesse James play against the New England Patriots this past December would have both been deemed catches.

Each of those plays, had they been ruled as receptions, could have drastically changed the entire outcome of those games. Bryant's play against the Packers occurred late in the fourth quarter could have seen the Cowboys pull out a huge road playoff win.

Meanwhile, the no catching ruling for the play on James wound up having a major impact on the playoff seeding with it being the deciding factor in the Patriots landing the top spot in the AFC playoff picture. This could have changed the fate of the Steelers' playoff run instead of it being a one-and-out.

Although this is a bit of revisionist history, this potential change should avoid these type of issues from arising again in the future. The expected elimination of the “going to the ground” aspect of the rule should allow for there to be a more defined understanding of what a catch is.

With Al Riveron chiming in on the possible rule change shows that it could be just a matter of time before this necessary change is put into effect by the league this offseason. The NFL owners are set to vote on the rule changes in the coming days.