The 2015 season has been defined by the NFL's controversial rule for determining whether a catch was made and there have already been several calls cast into the spotlight. It's certainly not a new issue and was really cast into the spotlight in 2010 when a would-be touchdown reception for Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions was overturned and ruled incomplete.

Since then, big moments like Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant in the 2014 postseason against the Green Bay Packers, have caused many to call for a change to a confusing rule. And it has been changed, but never substantially.

Prior to the 2015 season, the rule was clarified to remove the words "football move" from the catch rule, but it was a matter of semantics that didn't change much about the actual content of the rule. Here's how the NFL clarified the catch rule in March 2015:

In order to complete a catch, a receiver must clearly become a runner. He does that by gaining control of the ball, touching both feet down and then, after the second foot is down, having the ball long enough to clearly become a runner, which is defined as the ability to ward off or protect himself from impending contact. If, before becoming a runner, a receiver falls to the ground in an attempt to make a catch, he must maintain control of the ball after contacting the ground. If he loses control of the ball after contacting the ground and the ball touches the ground before he regains control, the pass is incomplete. Reaching the ball out before becoming a runner will not trump the requirement to hold onto the ball when you land. When you are attempting to complete a catch, you must put the ball away or protect the ball so it does not come loose.

And here's the official page in the rule book, Rule 8 Section 1.

It's a rule that impacts games on what seems like a weekly basis:

Michael Crabtree -- Nov. 22, 2015

Ruling: Incomplete pass

A catch on the sideline was made by Michael Crabtree in which he got both feet down, but he lost the ball when he was shoved out of bounds by a Lions defender.

Officials ruled that the Raiders receiver didn't complete the process of the catch by losing it when the ball touched the ground. However, this ruling directly contrasts with a ruling of a completed catch made by Jermaine Gresham during the 2013 postseason in a very similar play. Officials in that case ruled it was a reception because the Bengals tight end completed the process of the catch prior to being forced to the ground by a hit from a defender, just like Crabtree was.

Harry Douglas -- Nov. 19, 2015

Ruling: Incomplete pass

Touchdowns came at a premium during a Thursday game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans, so a fumble recovery touchdown for the Jaguars just before halftime looked like a big swing in momentum. Instead it was ruled that the fumble by Harry Douglas was an incomplete pass because he hadn't yet become a runner.

Does he "become a runner"? pic.twitter.com/cg7z7cmMx8 — Adam Stites (@AdamBCC) November 20, 2015

Two steps and turning upfield hasn't filled the definition of becoming a runner in many cases in 2015, but not every time.

Odell Beckham Jr -- Nov. 15, 2015

Ruling: Incomplete pass

What would have been a game-winning touchdown reception for Odell Beckham Jr. was instead ruled incomplete when the New York Giants wide receiver couldn't hold on to the ball when Malcolm Butler swiped the ball out of his hands.

While finishing "the process of the catch" is a common phrase in determining whether a reception was made, it isn't the applicable language when a player isn't going to the ground. Instead, the play is a touchdown at the moment Beckham becomes a runner, but officials determined he didn't reach that point.

Darren Fells -- Nov. 15, 2015

Ruling: Incomplete pass

Establishing one's self as a runner is an odd priority for a player who is already in the end zone, but later that Sunday in Week 10, the same rule came into question on a pass play to Arizona Cardinals tight end Darren Fells.

Again, a player wasn't headed to the ground when he caught the ball, so completion of the catch was dependent on whether Fells was able to become a runner. Despite catching the ball, transferring it to his right arm and turning his head upfield, officials determined he hadn't yet become a runner and it was not a fumble for Fells.

The play came with less than 30 seconds remaining in the first half and preserved field position for a Cardinals field goal to extend their lead to 22-7 rather than a final possession for the Seahawks.

Willie Snead -- Nov. 1, 2015

Ruling: Interception

A short pass to New Orleans Saints wide receiver Willie Snead was dislodged with a hit from Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and caught out of the air by Trumaine McBride. Either it was a fumble or an interception, so there really wasn't any controversy because it was a great defensive play and a Giants touchdown either way. But the NFL called the definition of a catch into question by changing it from a fumble recovery into an interception after the game.

While the original call on the field was a fumble, league officials determined that Snead hadn't yet made the catch or established himself as a runner when he turned up field before the hit.

Ted Ginn Jr. -- Oct. 25, 2015

Ruling: Interception

Ted Ginn Jr. caught a ball, turned up field and was dragged down by Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Nolan Carroll. But because Ginn was going to the ground, the ruling was dependent on whether he was able to "complete the catch" throughout the tackle.

Officials determined that he didn't. Despite the fact that he's clearly down while still possessing the ball, officials said he hadn't yet finishing the process of the catch and that Carroll intercepted the ball by pulling it loose before Ginn could complete the reception.

Marques Colston/Ben Watson -- Oct. 25, 2015

Ruling: Incomplete pass

Earlier in the day, the New Orleans Saints managed to beat the Indianapolis Colts, 27-21, despite exhausting both of their available challenges on one drive in the first quarter. On both plays, the Saints contended that receptions were made on plays that were ruled incomplete, and on both plays, officials determined that Marques Colston and Ben Watson didn't complete the process of their respective receptions.

After the game, Saints head coach Sean Payton said he had no problem with the rule and that it's clear what the requirements are for a catch.

Golden Tate -- Oct. 18, 2015

Ruling: Completed pass and touchdown

Golden Tate's touchdown against the Chicago Bears is maybe the most egregiously confusing application of the catch rules in 2015. When the Detroit Lions wide receiver caught a ball over the middle, he hardly had time to take a single step before Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller was able to pry the ball free, which was caught out of the air by linebacker Jonathan Anderson.

Despite what looked like an obvious interception, the officials determined that Tate was able to make the catch and turn upfield, therefore making himself a runner in the end zone, which is a touchdown. While former head of officiating Mike Pereira disagreed with the call, current head Dean Blandino agreed with the call and defended the decision of the officials.

Devonta Freeman -- Oct. 11, 2015

Ruling: Incomplete pass

It looked like Devonta Freeman had a touchdown when he caught a ball on the 3-yard line, took two steps and dove for the end zone while a Washington defender twisted him down. However, when his elbow hit the turf, it jarred the ball loose and officials determined that he hadn't completed the process of the catch while going to the ground.

Justice was served a couple plays later when Freeman scored a rushing touchdown, but the original ruling is confusing because it's not clear whether the Atlanta Falcons running back even needed to go to the ground. If he worked to stay on his feet, it likely would've been ruled a catch because he was able to establish himself as a runner, but by diving to the end zone he was forced to complete the process of the catch.

Tyler Eifert -- Sept. 27, 2015

Ruling: Incomplete pass

The Freeman ruling was similar to a ruling made against Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert a couple weeks earlier. Despite very clearly catching a pass, getting two feet down and turning up field to establish himself as a runner, Eifert's decision to dive toward the end zone meant he had to complete the process of the catch to the ground.

But the ball was kicked out of his hands well after it crossed the goal line. None of that mattered and officials ruled that Eifert hadn't finished the process of the catch.

Dez Bryant -- Jan. 11, 2015

Ruling: Incomplete pass

Confusing rulings about catches really got started immediately in 2015 with the ruling that Dez Bryant didn't make an incredible, game-saving catch against the Green Bay Packers that would have set the Dallas Cowboys up for a go-ahead score and a possible trip to the NFC Championship.

There's really no doubt that Bryant was able to catch the ball, possess it and take three steps before going to the ground, but there's also not much doubt that it was an incomplete pass by the definition of the rules. Immediately after he comes down from the leaping grab, Bryant is falling to the turf and when it is jarred loose by the ground, it means he didn't complete the process of the reception.

The play was on fourth down and the ruling of incomplete awarded the ball to the Packers with just over four minutes remaining and the Cowboys never saw another possession. It was this play that sparked the minor tweak in the catch rule language.

Rueben Randle -- Sept. 25, 2014

Ruling: Interception

Before the 2015 season, the criteria for a reception was that a player must be able to make a "football move." In a Thursday Night Football game against Washington, Rueben Randle of the New York Giants caught a pass across the middle and took two steps before the ball was jarred free just before a third foot hit the ground.

Both Randle and Giants head coach Tom Coughlin were confused by the ruling, but former NFL referee Mike Carey said that the decision made by officials was the correct one. The question is whether Randle's slight turn to stop going backwards counts as a "football move," but officials said it wasn't.

Jermaine Gresham -- Jan. 5, 2014

Ruling: Completed pass

The completion of a catch to the ground has been under the spotlight for more than five years now, since it was dubbed the "Calvin Johnson rule" following Week 1 of the 2010 season. So, the rule very much existed when Jermaine Gresham caught a ball on the sideline but lost control of it as he fell to the ground following a hit from a Chargers defender.

But officials said that the completion of the catch portion of the rule didn't apply to Gresham because he wouldn't have gone to the ground if it wasn't a hit that sent him to the turf. Instead the officials said that by catching the ball and getting two feet down with control prior to the hit meant that losing the ball on his way down didn't constitute part of the process of catching the ball.

Dean Blandino explained and defended the ruling on NFL.com.

Dez Bryant -- Nov. 24, 2013

Ruling: Incomplete pass

Dez Bryant is one of the poster children of the controversial catch rules, but Dean Blandino used him in the past as an example of what isn't a reception. In November 2013, Bryant made a catch across the middle of the field against the Giants but lost it as he was going to the ground.

Blandino explained that it was "simply incomplete" because Bryant hadn't satisfied the three requirements for a reception: "control, two feet and have the ball long enough to perform an act common to the game."

"If he's going to the ground, forget about how many steps he takes, if he's going to the ground, he has to control the ball when he hits the ground." Blandino and officials agreed that Bryant did not do that.

Calvin Johnson/Victor Cruz -- Sept. 8, 2013

Ruling: Incomplete pass for Johnson, completed pass and touchdown for Cruz

Both Calvin Johnson of the Lions and Victor Cruz of the Giants seemed to have touchdowns in Week 1 of the 2013 season when they caught passes near the goal line and dove in. But neither seemed to complete the process of the catch when they lost control as they hit the ground.

So, it's especially confusing that Johnson wasn't given a touchdown for the play, but Cruz was. In fact, the play for Cruz wasn't even reviewed by officials who determined it was a clear touchdown.

Danario Alexander -- Nov. 18, 2012

Ruling: Completed pass and touchdown

The Chargers cut into a 30-16 lead for the Broncos when Danario Alexander caught a 21-yard touchdown pass that made the score 30-23 with less than two minutes remaining. He caught the ball inside the 5-yard line and turned to dive into the end zone, but like Johnson and Cruz, he lost the ball when it hit the ground as he extended it across the goal line.

A review from officials determined that Alexander was able to complete the process of the catch and the touchdown stood.

Calvin Johnson -- Sept. 12, 2010

Ruling: Incomplete pass

The play that started the "process of the catch" debate was a would-be touchdown pass to Calvin Johnson that was ruled incomplete because the Lions wide receiver lost the ball when he hit the ground. Never mind that he was knocked to the ground and clearly had control of the ball until he hit it against the ground on his own control, the touchdown was nullified and the Lions lost.

Since then, the play has caused the completion of the process of the catch to be known as "The Calvin Johnson rule."