Published at http://www.eivnews.com/archives/7487
After much discussion and debate following a controversial call during a Week 15 matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots, the NFL Competition Committee has attempted to rewrite and clarify the rules for making a catch.
During the previously mentioned game, Steelers’ tight end Jesse James appeared to have scored a game-winning touchdown with 28 seconds left in the fourth quarter. However, the catch was later discounted by the officials who asserted that James momentarily lost control of the ball when he hit the ground.
The Competition Committee has proposed a three step process for a play to register as a catch, reported by The Bleacher Report.
The rules regarding what is and isn’t a reception have been viewed in a controversial light for many years, and they have been the center of numerous debates. Although the Committee changes will not fix the frustration caused by past calls such as James’ non-catch, they hope to prevent future headaches caused by confusing reception calls.
These changes have not been officially implemented, as they need to be approved at the NFL Annual Owners meeting, according to Benjamin Hoffman of the New York Times.