Thread: How NFL trains officials to call catch rule: If in doubt, incomplete

DALLAS -- Dean Blandino paused and lowered his voice. As he watched players run by on the video screen, the NFL's vice president of officiating smiled.

"It's so easy," he said, "when they hold on to the ball."

Yes. Yes it is. If players did it all the time, of course, debate over the NFL's vexing catch rule would be moot. The rule exists to adjudicate instances when the ball squirts free before possession is obvious. And though its substance remains unchanged in 2016, Blandino carved out a portion of his annual officiating clinic to demystify its intent and reinforce that he will support calls reflective of its spirit, even when they spark public controversy.

"The biggest thing is we all have to be on the same page," Blandino told a ballroom packed with all of the NFL's 124 game officials. "The rule is a good rule."

Many fans and neutral observers seem to have made up their minds to oppose that sentiment, minimizing any impact of the league's public crusade to explain it. But in a separate interview on Friday, Blandino reported significant offseason progress with an arguably more important group: NFL coaches. On the opening day of the clinic, Blandino provided a glimpse of how he is selling the rule around the league, as well as the way he is instructing officials to call it.

rest - plus video - http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/po...ubt-incomplete

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