NFL won't sack `tuck rule'

San Jose Mercury News ^ | 14 March 2002

[CounterCounterCulture]

The ``tuck rule'' that helped New England defeat the Raiders in the playoffs probably will be retained by the NFL.

Tampa Bay General Manager Rich McKay, chairman of the league's eight-member competition committee, said Wednesday that though the group has had extensive discussion on the rule, there is little agreement about changing it.

[CounterCounterCulture]

C'mon, do the right thing. It's a stupid rule no matter what team it effects.

[E Rocc]

They'll change it quietly next year or perhaps in a couple years, like they changed the contents of the referees' penalty flags. The NFL doesn't like to respond quickly (even when their negligence ends a player's career), because someone might think they realized they were wrong.

-Eric

[hobbes1]

If they dont craft a pretty good addendum (my guess is it'll be a discretionary call! ) What you'll see is Quarterbacks taking a 5 step drop pumping the ball, then running around like it's free.

[FreeTally]

Well, their isn't really anything wrong with the rule, it was just applied wrongly. Brady was not passing the ball - the rule did not apply to the play. That's where the mistake was. I think most teams/players/coaches know this, but don't want to go one record as saying the refs really screwed up, or there were suspect reasons for changing the call.

[Diddle E. Squat]

You hit the nail on the head. It'll be gone in 2 years.

[supercat]

How about simply ruling that if the ball or passer's throwing hand/arm is touched by an opposing player before the ball leaves the passer's hands it's a fumble; if neither is touched by an opposing player untik after the ball leaves the passer's hands it's an incomplete pass?

[Desert Lizard]

Concour.