Ahead of the NFL Scouting Combine this week, the league has begun to take a serious look at altering the catch rule to get a more clear understanding of what is understood to be a catch. The current standing of the rule has created much conflict and confusion that has all led to this point where changes are needed.

It has also drawn the concern of commissioner Roger Goodell to get some sort of fix to the regulation to erase any unnecessary doubts or issues from players and teams. According to Judy Battista of NFL.com, the league could be nearing a decision to eliminate one key aspect of the rule that involves ground coming into play in the determination process.

This portion of the rule has been the source of much uneasiness around the league with it playing a major factor in several games over the last few seasons. The NFL had added this stipulation several years ago after a controversial call was made on a touchdown catch by former Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson that was overturned after he didn't keep possession all the way through the process after being tackled to the ground.

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The decision to cut this part from the rule would take away a lot of the murkiness of what a catch is on any given play. It would provide the referees a better definition of what a reception is being one where the ball is possessed by a receiver that is proceeded with the player making a move up the field after it is hauled in.

Another situation that may need to be addressed is when that receiver gets into the end zone. This should lead to simply crossing the of the end zone signaling the play has been completed with a scored touchdown rather than the player having to come down cleanly with the ball if they are tackled.

It is evident that there are many complexities to this rule, but the elimination of the “going to the ground” portion would be a huge step forward.