What is a catch in the NFL? Explaining the league's definition, changes and history of controversial calls

Teddy Ricketson

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What is a catch in the NFL? Explaining the league's definition, changes and history of controversial calls image

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Watching NFL games is widely considered one of America's favorite pastimes at this point. Still, there are other times it is the single most frustrating way to view the sport of football. 

Wins and losses are just a part of the game, but it is how the league chooses to rule on calls that impacts those results that can have a fan's blood boiling. We have had some great football games that have ended up marred in controversy because of a single play.  

With all of the technology widely available, one might assume that there would never be an issue determining whether there was or wasn't a catch. The problem lies within the rules and stipulations that the league itself has imposed. It is ambiguous enough to always lead to controversy one way or the other.  

This leads to huge eruptions on social media when it seems like the league's officials make the wrong call. This has resulted in some of the most infamously memorable moments in the history of the sport. 

Here is more on what the NFL considers a catch, how the rules have adapted over time and the most controversial calls in league history.

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NFL catch rule definition

In the official NFL rule book, Rule 8, Article 3 is all about completing a pass. Here is the exact wording from the rule book.

Article 3. Completed Or Intercepted Pass

A player who makes a catch may advance the ball. A forward pass is complete (by the offense) or intercepted (by the defense) in the field of play, at the sideline, or in the end zone if a player, who is inbounds:

  1. secures control of the ball in his hands or arms prior to the ball touching the ground; and
  2. touches the ground inbounds with both feet or with any part of his body other than his hands; and
  3. after (a) and (b) have been fulfilled, clearly performs any act common to the game (e.g., extend the ball forward, take an additional step, tuck the ball away and turn upfield, or avoid or ward off an opponent), or he maintains control of the ball long enough to do so.

Notes:

  1. Movement of the ball does not automatically result in loss of control.
  2. If a player, who satisfied (a) and (b), but has not satisfied (c), contacts the ground and loses control of the ball, it is an incomplete pass if the ball hits the ground before he regains control, or if he regains control out of bounds.
  3. A receiver is considered a player in a defenseless posture (See Rule 12, Section 2, Article 9) throughout the entire process of the catch and until the player is capable of avoiding or warding off the impending contact of an opponent.
  4. If a pass is caught simultaneously by two eligible opponents, and both players retain it, the ball belongs to the passers. It is not a simultaneous catch if a player gains control first and an opponent subsequently gains joint control. If the ball is muffed after simultaneous touching by two such players, all the players of the passing team become eligible to catch the loose ball.
  5. If a player, who is in control of the ball, is held up and carried out of bounds by an opponent before both feet or any part of his body other than his hands touches the ground inbounds, it is a completed or intercepted pass. It is not necessary for the player to maintain control of the ball when he lands out of bounds.
  6. If any part of the foot hits out of bounds during the normal continuous motion of taking a step (heel-toe or toe-heel) then the foot is out. A player is inbounds if he drags his foot, or if there is a delay between the heel-toe or toe-heel touching the ground.

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What are the key elements of a catch?

The key elements of completing a catch come down to controlling the football, getting in bounds, making a football move, maintaining control and surviving the ground if applicable. 

Control of the football 

The first thing that officials look for with the possibility of a catch is whether the receiver, or defender for that matter, had control of the ball. What they look for is the player in question securing the football, and it not wobbling or bouncing out of their hands, whether through the process of getting tackled or hitting the ground. 

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Getting inbounds

To be eligible to catch a pass, a player must establish themselves in bounds. To do this in college, players need just one foot in bounds to hit before they go out of bounds. In the NFL, players need both feet in bounds. This has been a point of contention, though, as some players land at odd angles and they get one foot in a couple times, but not the other foot. Or, it has been one foot and one elbow as the player catches the ball and then rotates as they dive to the ground. 

Making a football move

Whenever a catch is being reviewed, you always hear the announcers going through the checklist of what a player has to do to catch a football. One of the steps is "making a move common to the game of football" and that could be the most ambiguous aspect of a catch. Per the league, the referees are supposed to be looking for "any action by a player, after securing control of the ball and establishing their feet inbounds, that transitions them from a receiver to a runner, demonstrating the possession of the ball, and such actions include tucking the ball, extending it, turning up-field, taking another step or avoiding an opponent."

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Maintaining control

Similar to establishing control, players are expected to maintain that control through the entire catch. If they don't, it could end up being ruled incomplete, or worse, a fumble. This usually matters when players are met with contact during the process of the catch or if they go to the ground, whether in bounds or out. Players are expected to prevent the ball from moving and must keep it securely tucked or in possession of their hands. If they don't and the ball moves, it can quickly be ruled incomplete. 

Going to the ground

A player going to the ground is where many catches get ruled incomplete. Whether they hit the dirt inbounds or out, a player is expected to maintain control of the ball despite the impact. If a ball looks like it shifts out of their grasp, a ref will usually rule it incomplete even though it was 96% a catch. 

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How many feet do you need to be in bounds for a catch?

In the NFL, you need to get both feet in bounds for a catch. This is different than college football, where you only need one foot to be in bounds to be considered a catch. For the NFL, they had to use exact verbiage because players have been known to tap the same foot twice, and it hasn't been counted. They must make contact with both feet. 

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Most controversial NFL catch calls

Dez Bryant

This has to be the first controversial catch call that comes to most fans' minds. 52.3 million people were watching the Cowboys play the Packers in the Divisional Round in 2015. Wide receiver Dez Bryant appeared to make a leaping catch near the goal line and then dove to the endzone, while bobbling the ball. Officials overturned the catch entirely, saying that he "didn't complete the process of the catch."

Jesse James

The Steelers were playing the Patriots in 2017. Each team had eyes on the playoffs in a big game. Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger found his tight end Jesse James for what looked like a score. The play started with 34 seconds left in the game. James caught the ball and fell into the endzone. While falling, he reached the ball across the endline, and the ball slips out of his hand, and he falls to the ground. Even during replay review, announcers were saying that the touchdown will stand. The referees overturned it, infamously saying that it "didn't survive the ground."

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The "Fail Mary"

The Packers find themselves on this list for the second time. In 2012, Green Bay was playing Seattle. That was the year that the NFL's referee union was striking so there were replacement refs being used. Early in the season the Packers and Seahawks matched up and the game ended in controversy. On the final play of the game, then-rookie Russell Wilson launched a ball to Golden Tate. His wide receiver and Packers defender M.D. Jennings appeared to catch the ball together and both hit the ground at the same time.

The two closest officials gave opposite signals, with one calling a touchback and one calling a touchdown. The review showed that there was an offensive pass interference call that wasn't and couldn't then be called. It also showed that they did catch the ball together, and it was ruled a game-winning touchdown for Seattle.

Calvin Johnson

The ball surviving the ground became a huge topic of discussion in 2010. The Lions looked like they had a late-game win over the Bears. Johnson caught a deep pas with 25 seconds to go. He leapt for the ball and spun in the air. When he came down, he landed on his knee and hand, but to stabilize himself, he planted the ball in the ground and then ran away from it, celebrating. The refs overturned it, saying that he hadn't completed the process of a catch. 

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History of NFL catch rule changes

Let's take a look at how the NFL catch rule has evolved over time.

Pre-1999

Prior to 1999, there wasn't much discussion about what was and wasn't a catch. The biggest involvement in the 50 years prior was just that you needed both feet to hit inbounds in order for the catch to count. 

1999 

The NFL added some clarification regarding a player going to the ground. This was when they said that players going to the ground had to maintain control through the process of the catch. 

2010

Johnson's non-touchdown happened in 2010. This caused the league to clarify that if a player is going to the ground, they must maintain control throughout contact with the ground, even if it appeared they already established possession. 

2015

This was the year of the Bryant play. Overall, the rules stayed the same here, but the NFL emphasized the need to make a football move, and to maintain control through contact with the ground. 

2018

After years of outrage from fans, and three years of having to hear "Dez caught it" jokes, the NFL tweaked its catch policy. The league said that a catch is secured when a receiver secures control of the ball, gets two feet or another body part down and performs a football act. This was key because they technically took out the surviving the ground part, but only in the sequence that possession is confirmed and the player makes a move common to the game. If the ground causes it to come out after that, it doesn't negate the reception.

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What players and coaches say about catch rule

Back in 2010, Johnson said about his play, "I caught it. I was celebrating. That's the rule ... but I definitely caught it." His quarterback Matthew Stafford backed him up saying, "I thought it was a touchdown. I'm still not sure what a catch is." The touchdown being overturned helped the Bears win that game. Then-Chicago head coach Lovie Smith said the rule worked in their favor, but "it didn't look right."

For Bryant's incident, he obviously maintained that he caught it. Quarterback Tony Romo added, "It was a catch. Everyone saw it was a catch. The rule doesn't make sense." Green Bay head coach Mike McCarthy said, "We'll take the ruling, but yeah - that looked like a catch."

When the NFL changed the ruling in 2018, Bryant tweeted out "FINALLY...CATCH RULE IS FIXED." Former NFL head coach Bill Belichick said that simplification was necessary because "it should be clear and obvious what a catch is." 

Not everyone is satisfied, though. While Davante Adams said that as things stand "it feels more common sense now," tight end George Kittle said, "Sometimes they act like we need a law degree to play receiver." Mike Tomlin summarized it well saying he wants, "fans and players to speak the same language as officials." 

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Teddy Ricketson

Teddy Ricketson is a Digital Content Producer at The Sporting News. He joined the team in 2024 after spending the last three years writing for Vox Media as part of its DK Nation/Network team. Teddy does his best to support the South Carolina Gamecocks and Carolina Panthers, but tends to have more fun cheering on the Atlanta Braves. In his free time, he loves spending time with his wife, Brooke, and their two dogs, Bo and Hootie.