NFL teams unanimously approve simplified catch rules
The rules defining a catch have been whittled down and made easier to understand by the NFL.
The NFL catch rules will be simpler beginning with the 2018 season.
NFL teams unanimously voted on Tuesday to modify the rules on what constitutes a catch at the annual league meetings in Orlando.
The new rules governing what constitutes a catch are:
Control of the ball
Two feet down or another body part
A football move, such as: A third step; Reaching/extending for the line-to-gain; Or the ability to perform such an act
The biggest change in the new ruleset is the "going to the ground" factor, which has caused controversy over the past few seasons.
The best examples of non-catches that would be reversed under the new rules are Dez Bryant's catch for the Dallas Cowboys against the Green Bay Packers in the 2014 playoffs and Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jesse James' touchdown catch against the New England Patriots last season.