The NFL has a catch rule problem. And, as it does with plenty of other issues, the NFL seems to be content to ignore it. Or to claim that there’s no problem at all.
Via Mark Maske of the Washington Post, “The NFL and competition committee believe the catch rule is ‘pretty clear’ . . . and are not planning to make major offseason changes to it, although an individual team could make a proposal.”
That said, Maske adds that the league and/or the Competition Committee “may take steps to provide clarity about in-game rulings and improve the widespread understanding of the rule.”
The problem isn’t the rule. It’s the application of it. The three current problems, as explained here on Tuesday, are these: (1) the taking of a third step to complete the process has caused the league to ignore the other ways of doing so (extending the ball forward, taking an additional step, avoiding or warding off an opponent, or having possession long enough to do any of those things); (2) the explanation of the Aaron Rodgers catch on December 7 conflicts with the standard that was applied on Saturday to Bills receiver Brandin Cooks; and (3) the replay process is too vague and (to use the term uttered by Kyle Brandt on NFL Network the day after the Bills-Broncos game) “Orwellian.”
It’s like the legal system. The legislature creates the rules. The courts apply them. And the court — the league office and its team of referees and replay officials — has not been applying the rule as written and/or crafting standards aimed more at concealing errors and less at ensuring consistency. In the Cooks play, the process failed to entail sufficient transparency as to the application of the rule.
As to the third-step issue, the league office isn’t applying the rule correctly. As to the Rodgers/Cooks situation, NFL V.P. of instant replay Mark Butterworth justified the decision to turn an interception into a catch in the Steelers-Ravens game with language that, if applied to the Cooks play, would have reached the same outcome.
“The offensive player had control of the ball and as he was going to the ground . . . he never lost control of the ball and then his knees hit the ground in control,” Butterworth said at the time. “So therefore, by rule, he is down by contact with control of the ball.”
That’s the key question the league needs to resolve, when a player is going to the ground. If a player catches the ball and is going to the ground after being contacted by a defender, does the play end when the knee hits (as it did for Rodgers) or must the player still maintain possession (as it did with Cooks).
Of course, there’s no way to expressly address that wrinkle without admitting that one of the two rulings was wrong. And the league simply isn’t inclined to admit it was wrong, about any of these rulings.
So, yes, the rule is fine. And, no, the application of it is anything but.
Wednesday’s longer-than-it-should-have-been press conference involving Bills owner Terry Pegula and G.M. Brandon Beane had plenty of interesting quotes. We’ve been working through the list of them, one at a time.
One question related to how many one-at-a-time playoff wins were needed by former coach Sean McDermott to return in 2026. Would McDermott have been fired if the Bills lost in the AFC Championship or the Super Bowl?
“I don’t want to speculate on that,” Pegula told reporters. “It is what it is. I don’t want to speculate.”
Regardless of whether Pegula chose to answer, it’s a compelling question. Although Pegula stressed that he had no prior plan to fire McDermott and that the decision happened based solely on what Pegula witnessed in the locker room after Saturday’s loss to the Broncos, it’s fair to wonder whether the postseason began with a floor for McDermott.
If so, what was the floor? Was it Super Bowl appearance or bust? Was it Lombardi Trophy or pink slip?
The broader question is whether anyone sensed that McDermott had a mandate. For example, was the emotion after the game from quarterback Josh Allen fueled by his suspicion that the loss to the Broncos may cause McDermott to lose his job? Does Allen blame himself for getting McDermott fired?
Consider what Pegula said about his conversation with Allen, after the firing happened: “The starting quarterback will be part of the team to help select a new coach. He’s going to be working with us. And anything else — his feelings — I want to keep that private. I don’t want this in Josh’s head. This was my decision. And I know I didn’t answer your question, but I did, I hope, in a roundabout way. His personal opinion, I keep personal.”
Although it’s still unclear whether Allen agreed or disagreed with the move, or whether Allen did or didn’t want a coaching change, the most sensible interpretation seems to be that: (1) Allen feels responsible for McDermott getting fired; (2) Pegula doesn’t want that guilt “in Josh’s head"; (3) Allen knows it’s counterproductive to express any agreement or disagreement with the move; and (4) Pegula doesn’t want Allen to think the next coach’s job will hinge on Allen’s postseason performances.
It’s also sensible to conclude that, despite the claim of a sudden locker-room epiphany that a new coach was needed, Pegula had a minimum goal in mind that would secure another season for McDermott. Whether it was getting to the Super Bowl or winning it doesn’t matter; what mattered was a loss in the divisional round didn’t meet Pegula’s threshold.
Brian Daboll was one of the first names that came up as a possible hire when the Bills fired head coach Sean McDermott and he’s now officially in the mix for the job in Buffalo.
The Bills announced that they have completed an interview with Daboll for the position. They have also interviewed their own offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
Daboll was the offensive coordinator for the Bills from 2018-2021. The Bills had one of the best offenses in the league during Daboll’s final two seasons on the job and that propelled him to the head coaching job with the Giants. Daboll wasn’t able to repeat that kind of success and he was fired during the 2025 season. He was 20-40-1 with the Giants.
The Bills will still have to conduct more interviews to comply with NFL hiring rules. Should any of those candidates wind up with the job, Daboll is expected to be a top offensive coordinator candidate around the league.
Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski is scheduled for an interview with the Bills for their head coaching job.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Udinski is set to meet with the team on Sunday. The Bills fired Sean McDermott in the wake of last weekend’s 33-30 overtime loss to the Broncos in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Udinski is also in the running for the head coaching job in Cleveland. He’s slated for a second interview with the Browns on Friday.
Udinski was hired by the Jaguars after Liam Coen took over as the team’s head coach in 2025. He worked with Coen to construct an offense that helped the team finish sixth in the league in points scored and win the AFC South.
In the aftermath of the firing of Sean McDermott, Vic Carucci of WGRZ.com reported that McDermott privately expressed concern during the season about the quality of the roster, and that owner Terry Pegula and G.M. Brandon Beane did not appreciate that opinion.
During Wednesday’s lengthy (not in a good way) and revealing (not in a good way) press conference, Pegula was asked about the report.
“I don’t know where that came from, but we met all the time, you know, [I] talked to Sean every day,” Pegula said. “Yeah, we talk about being dissatisfied with this, being happy with that, and whatnot, but we communicated all the time, and I don’t know where that came from.”
It wasn’t a direct or clear denial. Pegula simply said he doesn’t know where the report came from.
If his position is that it didn’t happen, all Pegula had to say was (wait for it) it didn’t happen.
Beane wasn’t asked about the report, and he didn’t affirmatively address it.
The balance of the press conference makes it clear that the Bills are sensitive to the perception that the issue has been talent, not coaching. And that Pegula believes the team is good enough to win a Super Bowl.
McDermott didn’t. Whether McDermott is right will depend on the efforts of the next coach.
The situation also invites close scrutiny of what the Bills will do in the coming offseason. Will they take a big swing via trade or free agency, doing something out of character to boost the roster? Or will they stay the draft-and-develop course?
