NFL officials reportedly went by new catch rule in Super Bowl LII

Jeff Roberson/AP

I've gotten over Super Bowl LII and this really doesn't make me any more or less upset about it, but this is annoying nonetheless.

The NFL has basically admitted it ruled touchdown catches by Corey Clement and Zach Ertz in that game differently than they had all year. Instead of going by the rules that were in place already, Gene Steratore and company went by the new rules.



The new catch rule, which isn't much better despite the suits at the NFL saying it is, states that a player can bobble the ball a little bit while trying to maintain control and no longer has to survive the ground.

Clement's touchdown saw him bobble the football while going out of bounds and he did not maintain complete control. If they were going by the old rules, that touchdown should not have counted. The Ertz touchdown is a different story, as that was clearly a touchdown and isn't worth disputing.

There's also this from Zach Cox of NESN, which is basically more proof that the league adjusted the rule on the fly and used it in the Super Bowl



No doubt this is frustrating to read and it is sure to irk Patriots fans. But there's really nothing that anyone can do about it at this point.

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