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With the 2017 NFL season now coming to an end, the league has a laundry list of concerns to address this offseason. Aside from the number of injuries to star players, perhaps the most prominent issue this year has been the NFL's enigmatic catch rule.
Fortunately, it seems the players are not the only ones upset with the rather confusing guidelines of what qualifies as a catch. During an appearance on PFT Live, Atlanta Falcons president/CEO and Competition Committee chairman Rich McKay was adamant about discussing the ever-changing catch rule:
Article Continues Below“Has it ever not been?” McKay said.
“Will it be talked about?” McKay added. “Absolutely, because again every year we’re going to have six to eight plays as replay becomes more and more a part of our lives because, quite frankly, technology just gets better and better. Then all of a sudden the scrutiny applied to a play like that gets even higher. Yes, you need to go back and you need to make sure — our rules forever have been written for on-field officiating and trying to make sure that we put the officials in a place on the field where they can officiate and be consistent in their officiating.”
As of right now, the rule currently states that a player must maintain control throughout the entire process before hitting the ground. Most of the controversial catches matched the set criteria up until they made contact with the ground. As a result, there is an ongoing confusion about whether or not officials are making the right calls.
While there have long been individual instances of an overruled catch, the issue was brought to light several years ago during an NFC Playoffs showdown between the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers. That said, this season featured a cornucopia of questionable calls which have seemingly made it a point of emphasis for the committee.
