What is a catch in the NFL? Three controversial Super Bowl 57 calls reignite rules confusion

The NFL can’t avoid itself on the sport’s biggest stage.

Super Bowl 57 was marred by frequent discussions about what exactly constitutes a catch in the NFL.

The debate is nothing new for the league. Things have been going well since that famous “Dez got it” moment during the 2014 NFL postseason.

And during the 2023 Super Bowl, Carl Cheffers’ crew was slow to recognize whether passes intended for the Eagles and Chiefs were complete or incomplete.

So what’s a catch? Here’s the full NFL catch rule and a breakdown of why there was controversy over DeVonta Smith, Miles Sanders, and Dallas Goedert’s plays during the Super Bowl.

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NFL catching rules in 2023

Below is the NFL catch rule in its entirety, as outlined in Rule 8, Section 1, Articles 3-4 in the League’s official rule book.

A player making a catch may advance the ball. A forward pass is completed or intercepted (by defense) in the field, on the touchline, or in the end zone when a player who is inbounds:

A. secures control of the ball in his hands or arms before the ball hits the ground; And

B. Touching the ground with both feet or with any part of the body other than the hands; And

C. after (a) and (b) are met, performs an action customary in the game (e.g., tucks the ball, extends it forward, takes an extra step, turns up, or dodges or blocks an opponent) , or he retains control of the ball long enough.

And below are the notes associated with the rule:

1. The movement of the ball does not automatically lead to loss of control.
2. If a player who has complied with (a) and (b) but failed to comply with (c) touches the ground and loses control of the ball, it is an incomplete pass if the ball touches the ground before the regained control, or if he regained control out of bounds
3. A receiver is considered a player in a defenseless position (see 12-2-7) throughout the catching process and until the player is able to avoid or block imminent contact from an opponent.
4. If a pass is caught simultaneously by two eligible opponents and both players keep it, the ball belongs to the passers. It is not a simultaneous catch if one player gains control first and an opponent subsequently gains joint control. If the ball is tamped after being touched by two such players at the same time, all players on the passing team are entitled to catch the loose ball.
5. If a player in possession of the ball is stopped by an opponent and carried over the boundaries before both feet or any part of his body other than his hands touch the ground, that is a completed or intercepted pass. It is not necessary for the player to maintain control of the ball when it lands out of bounds.

The catch rule has caused quite a stir over the years, and there have been a few notable instances of it appearing in the 2023 postseason. But three cases in the Super Bowl will certainly be talked about, regardless of whether the Eagles or Chiefs win the contest.

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Catch DeVonta Smith

The first controversial catch or no catch rule came in the first half of the contest when DeVonta Smith appeared to catch a deep pass from Jalen Hurts for a first down.

The game was initially counted as a catch. This was reasonable as Smith was able to box two feet during the game.

The question, however, was whether Smith could control the ball as it went down. It appeared the ball touched the ground, but it wasn’t clear if he lost possession at any point.

Many assumed that call would stand up on the field as there wasn’t necessarily conclusive video evidence that he had lost the ball. However, officers saw enough to pick up the call.

Officials may have gotten this right, but the process was one that Eagles fans questioned.

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Catch Miles Sanders

Sanders’ non-catch was probably the least controversial of the three, but it also provided the most momentum. The second half saw a swing pass that saw the Eagles win 24-21.

Sanders caught the ball and came down two feet before being lit by L’Jarius Sneed. The ball was picked up by Nick Bolton and returned for an apparent touchdown.

However, the piece was rescinded after review. Why? Because Sanders didn’t have enough time to make a game-play action before being tackled.

As a result, the passport was deemed incomplete. That was deemed the correct decision by Fox acting pundit Mike Pereira. And while Chiefs fans might not have been happy with the verdict, they can certainly understand.

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Dallas Goedert catches

Now, The The verdict is one for Chiefs fans to complain about.

Goedert initially appeared to make a great catch in double coverage, where he was able to rise to catch a key pass from Hurts. However, the replay showed him catching the ball twice and it appeared he could only box one foot.

With a surprising twist, the piece was perfect. There was some doubt as to whether Goedert’s back foot was down when he officially saved the ball, so officials didn’t think it was enough to turn the game around.

That momentum benefited the Eagles, but it was an odd call. After all, earlier in the contest, officers had managed to overturn Smith’s call with what appeared to be less conclusive evidence. Why they leave Goedert and not the other is certainly a question worth asking.

Overall, the NFL’s catch rule is inconsistent and has a large gray area. The NFL should look to address this issue soon, or risk having catch-or-no-catch controversies being a big part of the conversation of their major events.