NFL’s Catch Rule Controversy Reignites After Ravens-Steelers Game: What’s a Catch, Really?
The NFL’s most infamous riddle-what exactly constitutes a catch-is back in the spotlight, and once again, it’s leaving players, coaches, and fans shaking their heads.
The latest flashpoint came during last week’s Ravens-Steelers game, when Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely appeared to haul in a critical late-game touchdown. Initially ruled a score on the field, the call was reversed after review, with officials citing that Likely had not completed the now-mandatory “third step” before the ball was dislodged. The reversal wiped six points off the board and reignited a long-simmering debate about the league’s ever-evolving definition of a completed pass.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh didn’t mince words after the game. “It’s about as clear as mud right now,” he said, echoing the sentiments of many across the league.
The New Three-Step Standard
At the heart of the controversy is the NFL’s latest interpretation of the catch rule-an attempt to simplify things that may have only added more confusion. According to NFL officiating executive Walt Anderson, the league now uses a three-step framework to determine whether a reception is complete.
Here’s how it breaks down: 1.
Control of the football. 2.
Two feet down (or another body part). 3.
A third element-typically, a third step while maintaining control.
That third step is now being treated as a key indicator of whether the receiver has completed the process of the catch. If the ball comes out before that third step hits the turf, the pass is ruled incomplete.
And that’s exactly what happened to Likely. Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. punched the ball out just before Likely could get his third foot down. Despite having control and two feet inbounds, the lack of a third step meant the play didn’t meet the league’s threshold for a completed catch.
A Rule That Still Lacks Clarity
The NFL has long struggled to define what seems like a basic football action. Over the years, the rule has shifted from emphasizing “football moves” to “acts common to the game” to now, apparently, a rigid three-step checklist. And yet, the confusion persists.
While Anderson laid out the current standard on Sunday morning, the interpretation still feels murky in real time-especially when plays like Likely’s get overturned after appearing to meet the eye test for a catch.
The league insists that the third step represents an “act common to the game,” a phrase that’s been part of the rulebook for years. But many believe the NFL is now leaning too heavily on the third step as a catch-all (pun intended) requirement, minimizing other parts of the rule that previously offered more flexibility.
Familiar Frustrations
For long-time fans, this all feels like déjà vu. The Dez Bryant non-catch in the 2015 NFC Divisional Round still looms large in the collective memory.
That play-where Bryant appeared to catch a critical pass late in a playoff game against the Packers, only to have it overturned-sparked years of debate and ultimately led to rule changes. But here we are, a decade later, with the same core question still unanswered: *What is a catch?
The NFL says it’s trying to make things clearer, but the results suggest otherwise. Coaches are frustrated.
Players are confused. And fans are left wondering if the league is overcomplicating one of the most fundamental plays in the sport.
Bigger Than One Play
While the Likely reversal was the headline, it wasn’t the only notable development for the Ravens last week. Offensive lineman Ben Cleveland was suspended three games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, adding another layer of adversity for a team in the thick of a playoff push.
But the catch rule remains the main talking point-and for good reason. When a touchdown can be erased by a technicality that even seasoned coaches struggle to interpret, it’s clear the rule still needs work.
Until then, expect more confusion, more controversy, and more moments where what looks like a catch... just isn’t.