What Is A Catch In The NFL? | NFL Football Operations

What exactly constitutes a proper catch in the NFL? NFL Football Operations explains in depth what exactly is considered a full "catch" in the National Football League.

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[seano]

This reminds me of those shitty laser tag safety videos.

[joeyd]

The whole becoming a runner thing makes no sense to me. A catch should be possession with 2 feet down in bounds. It's that simple, why make it more complicated. If it comes loose at any point it time after that it should be a fumble. This way there would be no more disputing weather someone was a runner or not. Once someone is out of bounds or in the end zone with possession, it shouldn't matter what happens to the ball after that, the play should be over even if they lose the ball afterwards.

[Deckgyhjo]

damn they did this for Odell fan's
because of week 10

[sidneyboakye]

This should be the first video they make ANYONE who comes to NFL.com or NFL's YouTube page, watch. Just to warn them about what they are getting into.

[chitownbearsfan]

Dez caught that football. People just hate on the Cowboys for no reason and they make biased decisions based on it. Even Packers players admitted it was a catch. The NFL was just doing all it could to help out their golden boy Rodgers.

[thewiseone]

If Dez didn't catch it, neither did Tyree. The ball was pinned to his head and it hit the ground. Dez had the ball pinned and secured between his bicep and forearm when the ball touch the ground. Plus he took 2 steps and leaped for a TD

[garrettM]

last time I was this early jordy Nelson was still in the season

[jrfitzgerald]

DEZ HAD CONTROL. HE TOOK 3 STEPS. HE WAS A RUNNER. HE HAD POSSESSION OF THE FOOTBALL. HE DIDNT LOOSE THE FOOTBALL HE WAS DOWN.

[rylandcisco]

It doesn't need to be more complicated than a drop or a catch

[carterchui]

How long does it take for the receiver to become a runner?

[BASSTRAPcentralHD]

A catch is whoever pays the refs more money.

[dishnet]

Don't forget what started Catch Madness in the first place...*Calvin* caught that ball.

[motorhead]

This all makes sense. This isn't what confuses people. The part that nobody understands including myself is what it means to "become a runner." For the Dez catch to be incomplete you'd be saying he wasn't a runner, but after he caught the ball he took not two, but three steps before stumbling to the ground. He took three steps but wasn't a runner yet? I don't understand.

[michaelrosenbaum]

The NFL tries to explain this but it still doesn't make sense

[ToonCaliOfGreatness]

Dez caught it in that game. He had possession all of the time leading up to him landing kn the ground. The issue was that the ball was pushed into the ground and lifted back up. Dez had control 95% of the time during that catch. Easy said than done.

[Javier_Vasquez]

Why can't a catch just be a catch stop adding "he must become a runner" or "he must maintain control of the ball" <--->No Sh*t a catch is self explanatory it should be

1. Catch and touch the ground on the playing field

2. Make sure you touch the ground to assure a touchdown

3.THATS IT

[joshwhitney]

If the receiver is in the end zone and catches the ball with 2 hands and stands there with it until the ref is handed the ball, it's a touchdown. Why, if a defender knocks it out of his hands, is it then incomplete? But in either case, the catch was made in the endzone. He possessed the football in the endzone. Touchdown, at that instant. The play ends. Someone knocking the ball out is after the play, extracurricular activity. Why do they seem to insist on "football moves", "2 steps", and "putting the ball away" in the endzone? It's arrived, the train's at the station! Where is the receiver supposed to go??!!

[RatusMax]

You guys shot yourself in the foot at 0:54, Texans did just that and it wasn't considered a fumble... WTF? Don't even listen to your own rules.

[kingpin]

The only part of this I disagree with is the last part. If you have control and get both feet/another body part other than the hands down while you have control it should be a catch. I think this is where a lot of the confusion lies.

[JINSEN]

im confused so whats the take on sideline catches ? recievers arent becoming a runner once they catch the ball yet the video states the reciever must maintain all 3 elements