NFL Competition Committee To Review Tuck Rule This Offseason

NFL director of officiating Dean Blandino said in a video distributed to the media that the competition committee plans to review the tuck rule this offseason. “This is going to be part of a bigger discussion in the offseason of QB pass/fumbles and the tuck rule with the competition committee,” Blandino said. In Week 9, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger appeared to throw an incomplete pass (as defined by the tuck rule) but it was called a fumble, even after it was reviewed. Then, in Week 17, Colts quarterback Andrew Luck was ruled to have fumbled after he was hit from behind by Texans linebacker Connor Barwin but after review it was ruled an incomplete pass. Blandino explained that the belief was Luck's hand was moving forward in an attempt to throw a pass, and it wasn't the result of the defender hitting Luck's hand forward while knocking the ball loose. “It was ruled on the field a fumble and the key here is the tuck rule,” Blandino said. “The rule is, if the quarterback brings his arm up to throw in an obvious passing motion, any intentional forward movement of the hand with control of the football will constitute a forward pass. That's the rule.” Source: CBS Sports