Committee will recommend clarification to 'Calvin Johnson rule'

Jim Corbett | USA TODAY Sports

PHOENIX – The controversial rule surrounding Dez Bryant's catch/no catch in the fourth quarter of the NFC divisional game in January, will not be changed but the NFL competition committee will recommend a language clarification to owners this week.

The so-called "Calvin Johnson rule" has been highly scrutinized by the group over the past month, said New York Giants co-owner John Mara, who is on the committee.

The controversial rule returned to the forefront in January when Bryant, the Dallas Cowboys receiver, made a circus-like catch late in the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers but the ball popped out as he hit the ground. The catch was waved off by officials.

Based on the current language of the rule, it was determined that Bryant did not maintain possession of the ball, which popped loose when Bryant's left arm hit the ground inside the 1-yard line.

The committee studied the play frame by frame and decided to make a language tweak to bring more clarity to such calls to better assist officials. They will make the recommendation in Arizona this week at the NFL's annual meeting.

"We made a little tweak in the language which is really not going to change the Dez Bryant play or any of the other ones that are controversial," Mara told USA TODAY Sports Sunday. "You've got to have at least two feet on the ground and clearly demonstrate that you are a runner."

Plenty of time was spent looking at the play.

"The Dez Bryant play, we looked at that 50 times," Mara told USA TODAY Sports Sunday. "And it looked different in slow motion than it does in real time. It really does.

"In real time, you say to yourself, 'Well, he didn't catch it.' In slow motion, it looks like he did catch it. So what do you do?

"You're undermining officials (if the rule is changed). There may be a minor tweak to the language. But I'm not expecting any significant change to that rule."

Mara said the committee studied "dozens and dozens of catches. And to try to craft the perfect language is pretty difficult. Because you can always find exceptions to that rule.

"The receivers are so much more athletic now than even 25 years ago. You don't want to take away great plays," Mara said. "It's a difficult issue."

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones, who is also on the committee, said the group spent most of its time on this rule.

"It's tough to change a rule. It's a tough one for us to swallow," he said. "But when you go into the air, you have to secure the ball when you go to the ground."

Clarification could involve a judgment call whereby an official is asked to interpret whether a receiver had possession for a reasonable amount of time after attempting a football move.

--In other news:

Perhaps the most interesting off-field issue involves Los Angeles. Owners will hear updates on stadium proposals in Inglewood and Carson, Calif., for the NFL's potential return to L.A. with the three teams involved -- St. Louis Rams, Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers -- involved in that discussion.

The NFL hasn't had a team in Los Angeles since 1994 when the Los Angeles Rams and Raiders both left. The league could eye a return by 2016 but it is a question of whether it will be one or two teams.

"We'll get a report on that in the next couple of days," said Mara, who serves on the newly-created committee created by Commissioner Roger Goodell for opportunities in Los Angeles. "But I don't think it's a stretch to say there's a good possibility we'll have two teams in LA in the very near future.

"Who they're going to be, I don't know. We'll have to see. It's on the agenda. No decision will be made, just an update."

--Of the 23 rules changes and four bylaws up for consideration during the meetings which end Wednesday, 13 relate to changes in the instant replay system. Twenty four of 32 owner votes are required for ratification.

None of the 13 replay proposals were submitted by the committee and the feeling is that more replay could affect pace of game.

"I would be surprised if any of the replay proposals had enough votes to pass,'' Mara said.

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Follow Jim Corbett on Twitter @ByJimCorbett