The NFL has adjusted the catch rule following the controversial game between the Ravens and Steelers. But this has sparked new discussions.

When is a ball considered caught? Hardly any other rule in the NFL causes as much discussion as the catch rule.

It was once again the focus of attention in Week 14: in the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers, a supposed touchdown by tight end Isaiah Likely was disallowed after video review.

Likely caught the pass in the end zone, controlled the ball, and took two steps. Before he could take a third step, Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. knocked the ball out of his hands. The referees initially ruled it a touchdown, but reversed the decision after reviewing the replay. Their reasoning: Likely had not completed the catching process.

NFL: Catch rule causes frustration

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was frustrated after the game. He said the catch rule is currently “as clear as mud.”

NFL official Walt Anderson later explained the decision on the NFL Network. According to Anderson, a catch must fulfill three elements: control of the ball, two feet or another body part in bounds, and a so-called “common action of the play.”

This last point in particular is crucial – and controversial. According to the rulebook, such a typical football action can include a third step, extending the ball forward, or fending off an opponent.

“Before that third step touches the ground, the ball is knocked out – that’s why the pass is incomplete,” Anderson explained about the Likely scene. The third step is now considered the decisive “football move,” i.e., the action that completes the catch process.

NFL catch rule: Critics speak of a silent rule change

Many observers see this as a silent but clear rule change. The previous leeway – such as extending the ball or fending off an opponent – hardly plays a role in the current interpretation.

NFL insider Mike Florio clearly criticized the development. He said the league had decided to base catch decisions almost exclusively on three feet on the ground and to ignore other criteria mentioned in the rulebook.

The NFL emphasizes that it wants to provide more clarity with the new three-step logic. Critics, however, see the opposite: a simplified but rigid rule that no longer realistically reflects game situations – especially in the end zone. The NFL catch rule has been changed, at least in its practical application. Whether the new three-step standard will actually lead to less discussion remains to be seen.