What’s the Tuck Rule? NFL Referees Explain
If you’re a football fan, you’ve probably heard of the tuck rule. But what is it, and why is it so controversial? NFL referees explain.
The Tuck Rule
The Tuck Rule was a rule in the National Football League (NFL) that stated that if a quarterback lost control of the ball while trying to bring it back to his body, it was still considered an incomplete pass, even if the ball had touched the ground.
What is the tuck rule?
In American football, the tuck rule is a rule that states that if a quarterback loses control of the ball while in the act of tucking it back toward his body, it is still considered an incomplete forward pass, even if the ball appears to be a fumble. This rule was implemented by the National Football League (NFL) in 1999.
The tuck rule has been controversial since it was first enacted. Some people feel that it protects quarterbacks from having their passes ruled as fumbles, while others believe that it takes away from the defensive team’s ability to create turnovers.
The most famous example of the tuck rule came in the 2001 AFC divisional playoff game between the Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots. With less than two minutes remaining in regulation and the Raiders leading 13-10, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady lost control of the ball while attempting to tuck it back toward his body. The ball then popped up into the air and was caught by Raiders linebacker Greg Biekert.
Despite what appeared to be a clear fumble, officials ruled that Brady’s pass was incomplete and upheld upon review. The Patriots went on to win the game in overtime, en route to their first Super Bowl title.
The tuck rule has since been abolished by the NFL; however, it remains a part of college football under NCAA rules.
How did the tuck rule come about?
In 2001, the New England Patriots were playing the Oakland Raiders in a playoff game. Late in the game, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady appeared to fumble the ball after being hit by Raiders defensive lineman Charles Woodson. However, the officials ruled that Brady had actually been attempting to tuck the ball back into his body, and thus it was not a fumble. The Patriots went on to win the game in overtime.
After the game, then-NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue appointed a committee to study rule changes that could prevent similar plays from happening in the future. As a result of those deliberations, the so-called “tuck rule” was enacted.
The tuck rule states that if a quarterback is attempting to tuck the ball back into his body after starting a forward motion, it is not a fumble if he loses control of the ball. This has been interpreted to mean that as long as the quarterback is still attempting to tuck the ball, it is not considered a fumble even if he has lost control of it.
The tuck rule has been controversial since it was enacted, and there have been calls for it to be abolished. However, it remains in effect as of 2021.
What are the consequences of the tuck rule?
if a quarterback begins to tuck the ball back toward his body after initially starting a forward throwing motion, it is an incomplete pass, even if he loses the ball during the tucking motion.
NFL Referees
In a 2001 playoff game between the New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders, a controversial call by the officials helped the Patriots keep a late lead and go on to win the game. The call, which has come to be known as the “tuck rule,” sparked a debate that continues to this day.
Who are the NFL referees?
National Football League referees are the officials who govern NFL games. They enforce the rules and make sure that the game is played fair and within the guidelines set by the NFL. There are currently 17 active NFL referees.
Referees are responsible for making sure that all players on the field are following the rules of the game. If a player breaks a rule, the referee will throw a flag and assess a penalty. Referees also have the authority to eject players from the game if they deem them to be acting in a dangerous or unsportsmanlike manner.
In order to become an NFL referee, candidates must first go through an intense training program. This program lasts for several months and includes both classroom instruction and on-field training. After successfully completing this program, candidates must pass a series of exams before they can be officially certified as an NFL referee.
What is their job?
The NFL referee is the person in charge of officiating a football game. He is responsible for making sure that the rules of the game are followed, and that all players are treated fairly. He also has the power to penalize players who break the rules.
The NFL referee is not a full-time employee of the league; rather, he is a independent contractor. This means that he is not paid a salary by the NFL, but instead is paid per game. He typically works other jobs during the week, and only officiates games on weekends.
The NFL referee typically works with a crew of six other officials, who each have their own specific responsibilities. These officials are known as the umpire, head linesman, line judge, back judge, side judge, and field judge. Together, they are responsible for ensuring that the game is fair and that all players are following the rules.
How do they enforce the tuck rule?
The tuck rule, which was infamously enforced during the 2001 AFC divisional playoff game between the Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots, states that if a quarterback loses control of the ball while in the process of bringing it back towards his body, it is considered an incomplete pass instead of a fumble.
This rule has been a point of contention for many football fans, especially Raiders fans, who believe that Tom Brady should have been called for a fumble instead of an incomplete pass when he lost control of the ball during that playoff game.
However, according to NFL referee Ed Hochuli, the tuck rule is still in place because it is a “judgment call” that referees have to make in order to determine whether or not a quarterback has actually lost control of the ball.
“If the quarterback is going to tuck the ball back into his body and then loses control of it, it is an incomplete pass,” Hochuli said during a 2016 interview with NFL Network. “Now, if he has tucked it and then starts to bring it back out and re-accelerate his arm forward and then loses control of it, that is a fumble.”
So essentially, according to Hochuli, if a quarterback brings the ball back towards his body and then loses control of it before he brings it back out again or throws it, it is an incomplete pass. However, if he brings the ball back towards his body and then starts to bring it back out again before losing control of it, then it is considered a fumble.
Players and coaches
One of the most controversial calls in NFL history came in the 2002 AFC divisional playoff game between the New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders. The call, which came to be known as the “tuck rule,” resulted in a Patriots victory and sent them on their way to their first Super Bowl appearance under Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
How do players and coaches feel about the tuck rule?
The tuck rule has been a part of the NFL rule book since 1999, but it gained notoriety in the 2001 AFC divisional playoff game between the New England Patriots and the Oakland Raiders when it was called on a play involving then-Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
The rule states that if a quarterback loses control of the ball while attempting to tuck it back into his body, it is still considered an incomplete pass, even if the ball appears to be moving forward when it hits the ground.
The tuck rule has been a point of contention among players and coaches for years, with many arguing that it is too difficult to officiate and that it takes away from the game.
However, NFL referees say that the tuck rule is an important part of the game and that it is not as difficult to officiate as some might think.
What are some of the most famous tuck rule moments?
There have been a handful of famous tuck rule moments in NFL history. The most famous (or infamous, depending on your perspective) is probably the “Tuck Rule Game” between the New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders in the 2001 AFC divisional playoffs.
With the Patriots leading 13-10 late in the fourth quarter, Raiders defensive lineman Greg Biekert sacked Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and forced a fumble. However, officials ruled that Brady had not completed a forward pass and thus the play was an incomplete pass, not a fumble. The ruling resulted in a touchback for the Patriots, and they went on to win the game in overtime.
Other notable tuck rule moments include a play from the 2002 AFC Championship Game between the Raiders and Tennessee Titans, and a play from a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts in 2008.
Fans
In 2001, during a divisional playoff game between the New England Patriots and the Oakland Raiders, a referee made a controversial call that would come to be known as the “Tuck Rule.” The call went against the Raiders, and fans were outraged. Some even accused the referee of being a Patriots fan.
How do fans feel about the tuck rule?
When NFL fans think about the tuck rule, there are a variety of reactions. Some feel that it is a necessary part of the game, while others find it to be frustrating. There are a few basic things that all fans can agree on, however. First, the tuck rule is confusing. Second, it often has a significant impact on the outcome of a game. And third, NFL referees rarely seem to apply the tuck rule in a consistent manner.
The tuck rule was first implemented in 1999. It was designed to protect quarterbacks from having their passes intercepted when they were trying to bring the ball back to their body (tucking it) after starting to pass it forward. The problem is that the rule is open to interpretation, and it often leads to confusion and controversy.
In 2012, for example, there was a key moment in a playoff game between the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens. Late in the game, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady appeared to lose control of the ball as he was being sacked by Ravens defensive lineman Courtney Upshaw. The ball popped up into the air and was caught by Ravens linebacker Paul Kruger. Most fans (and even some players) assumed that this was an interception, but because of the tuck rule, referee Jerome Boger called it an incomplete pass. The Patriots went on to win the game in overtime, and many Ravens fans still believe that they were robbed by the tuck rule.
So how do fans feel about this controversial rule? There are plenty of opinions out there, but it’s safe to say that most fans would like to see the tuck rule eliminated from the NFL rules book.
What are some of the most famous tuck rule moments?
The most famous tuck rule moment is probably the one involving Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the 2001 AFC divisional playoffs. In that game, Brady appeared to fumble the ball after being hit by Oakland Raiders’ cornerback Charles Woodson. However, because officials ruled that Brady had been trying to tuck the ball back into his body when he lost control, it was ruled an incomplete pass instead of a fumble. The Patriots went on to win the game in overtime.
Other famous tuck rule moments include a play involving then-Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow in 2011, and a play involving New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning in 2012.
