Tuck rule
Encyclopedia
The tuck rule is a rule in American football
, currently used only by the National Football League
(NFL).
Introduced in 1999, it reads:
Ordinarily, if the quarterback
drops or loses the football while he is bringing the ball forward in a passing motion
, and the ball touches the ground, it is considered an incomplete pass
. If the quarterback drops or loses the football at any other time, it is considered a fumble
, as if any other player had dropped it.
The tuck rule is an exception to this rule. It applies if the quarterback brings his arm forward in a passing motion, but then changes his mind and tries to keep hold of the football rather than making a pass. In this situation, if the quarterback loses the ball while stopping his passing motion or bringing the ball back to his body, it is still considered a forward pass (and thus an incomplete pass if the ball hits the ground). Mike Pereira
, the former director of officiating of the NFL, noted that the design of the rule obviates the need to consider the quarterback's intent, although the referee still must judge whether the initial forward movement of the arm was "intentional" on the part of the player or not.
The rule is not without its critics. Former Washington Redskins
head coach Joe Gibbs
said, "It makes no sense to me. It's the way it's worded. I think everybody probably sees that and says it's a bad rule."
and the Oakland Raiders
.
In the closing moments of the fourth quarter of the game in a snowy Foxboro Stadium
, with New England trailing by three points, New England quarterback Tom Brady
dropped back to pass. After he had begun a passing motion, Brady apparently ceased his throwing motion, pulled his right hand down below his shoulder and had touched the ball to his left hand when, coming off the strong side corner blitz, Charles Woodson
knocked the ball out of Brady's hands. Raiders middle linebacker Greg Biekert
then fell on the loose football. The officials initially called the play a recovered fumble, which would have sealed the victory for the Raiders. But after instant replay
, referee Walt Coleman
reversed this call, declared the play an incomplete forward pass, and gave possession back to New England. In explaining the reversal to the stadium crowd and the television audience, the referee stated that the ball was moving forward at the time it was dropped. In later interviews, the referee stated that it was his explanation, not the reversal, that was in error; the ball was moving backwards when it was lost, but the tuck rule applied. In any case, Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri
later tied the game with a dramatic 45-yard field goal, and the Patriots took advantage of the momentum they had seized, defeating the Raiders in overtime on another field goal and eliminating them from the playoffs. Two games later, the Patriots won Super Bowl XXXVI
.
While the NFL has defended the call, not everybody has agreed. Bruce Allen, who ran the front office for the Raiders at the time of the game, still believes it was a fumble. "The rule itself doesn't bother me," he said. "But the way the rule is written, it was a fumble." Nevertheless, when the NFL's Competition Committee re-examined the rule after the 2001-2002 season, they made no changes to the rule; Pereira notes that attempts have been made to revise the rule, but such revisions have always proven to be more difficult to enforce than the current rule.
The tuck rule also was enforced in the NFL playoff game on January 9, 2011 between the Kansas City Chiefs
and the Baltimore Ravens
. After this game, Mike Pereira, the former NFL vice-president for officiating, stated that he was no longer in support of the tuck rule.
The tuck rule was also enforced on October 2nd, 2011 during a game between the Buffalo Bills
and the Cincinnati Bengals
. When the Bengals Andy Dalton
was tackled by two Bills defenders and the ball was returned for a touchdown by the Bills Bryan Scott
. After reviewing the play, the officials ruled that Andy Dalton
was tucking the ball, reversing the touchdown and giving the Bengals control of the ball.
The tuck rule was also enforced on October 30, 2011 during a game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Cincinnati Bengals. Andy Dalton started into his throwing motion but decided not to throw the pass. The ball came out of his hand and traveled backwards striking the umpire. Dalton fell on the ball at the one yard line but it was later ruled an incomplete pass, though the call was questionable because the "pass" appeared to travel backwards, in which case it should have been spotted at the one yard line.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, currently used only by the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL).
Introduced in 1999, it reads:
NFL Rule 3, Section 22, Article 2, Note 2. When [an offensive] player is holding the ball to pass it forward, any intentional forward movement of his arm starts a forward pass, even if the player loses possession of the ball as he is attempting to tuck it back toward his body. Also, if the player has tucked the ball into his body and then loses possession, it is a fumble.
Ordinarily, if the quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
drops or loses the football while he is bringing the ball forward in a passing motion
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
, and the ball touches the ground, it is considered an incomplete pass
Incomplete pass
An incomplete pass is a term in American football which means that a legal forward pass hits the ground before a player on either team gains possession. For example, if the quarterback throws the ball to one of his wide receivers, and the receiver either does not touch it or tries to catch it...
. If the quarterback drops or loses the football at any other time, it is considered a fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
, as if any other player had dropped it.
The tuck rule is an exception to this rule. It applies if the quarterback brings his arm forward in a passing motion, but then changes his mind and tries to keep hold of the football rather than making a pass. In this situation, if the quarterback loses the ball while stopping his passing motion or bringing the ball back to his body, it is still considered a forward pass (and thus an incomplete pass if the ball hits the ground). Mike Pereira
Mike Pereira
Mike Pereira is a former Vice President of Officiating for the National Football League . He first took over the position in 2001, succeeding Jerry Seeman. He was also a game official in the NFL for two seasons as a side judge on the officiating crew headed by referee Mike Carey...
, the former director of officiating of the NFL, noted that the design of the rule obviates the need to consider the quarterback's intent, although the referee still must judge whether the initial forward movement of the arm was "intentional" on the part of the player or not.
The rule is not without its critics. Former Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
head coach Joe Gibbs
Joe Gibbs
Joe Jackson Gibbs is a former American football coach, NASCAR Championship team owner, and two time NHRA Pro Stock team owner. He was the 20th and 26th head coach in the history of the Washington Redskins...
said, "It makes no sense to me. It's the way it's worded. I think everybody probably sees that and says it's a bad rule."
2002 controversy
The tuck rule resulted in a controversial finish to an NFL playoff game on January 19, 2002, between the New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
and the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
In the closing moments of the fourth quarter of the game in a snowy Foxboro Stadium
Foxboro Stadium
Foxboro Stadium was an outdoor stadium, located in Foxborough, Massachusetts...
, with New England trailing by three points, New England quarterback Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
dropped back to pass. After he had begun a passing motion, Brady apparently ceased his throwing motion, pulled his right hand down below his shoulder and had touched the ball to his left hand when, coming off the strong side corner blitz, Charles Woodson
Charles Woodson
Charles C. Woodson is an American football cornerback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Michigan for the Michigan Wolverines. In 1997, Woodson led the Wolverines to a national championship...
knocked the ball out of Brady's hands. Raiders middle linebacker Greg Biekert
Greg Biekert
Greg Biekert is a former American football linebacker and current linebackers coach for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. Biekert attended Longs Peak Middle School and Longmont High School in Longmont, Colorado where he lettered in football. Biekert was a standout linebacker...
then fell on the loose football. The officials initially called the play a recovered fumble, which would have sealed the victory for the Raiders. But after instant replay
Instant replay
Instant replay is the replaying of video footage of an event or incident very soon after it has occurred. In television broadcasting of sports events, instant replay is often used during live broadcast, to show a passage of play which was important or remarkable, or which was unclear on first...
, referee Walt Coleman
Walt Coleman
Walt Coleman is an American football official in the National Football League since the 1989 NFL season. He wears uniform number 65.- Personal :Coleman resides in Little Rock, Arkansas and is a sixth-generation family operator of Coleman Dairy....
reversed this call, declared the play an incomplete forward pass, and gave possession back to New England. In explaining the reversal to the stadium crowd and the television audience, the referee stated that the ball was moving forward at the time it was dropped. In later interviews, the referee stated that it was his explanation, not the reversal, that was in error; the ball was moving backwards when it was lost, but the tuck rule applied. In any case, Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri
Adam Vinatieri
Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American football placekicker currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. He has played in six Super Bowls, four with the New England Patriots and two with the Colts, winning four. Vinatieri won a Super Bowl in 2006 with Indianapolis and won Super Bowls in 2001,...
later tied the game with a dramatic 45-yard field goal, and the Patriots took advantage of the momentum they had seized, defeating the Raiders in overtime on another field goal and eliminating them from the playoffs. Two games later, the Patriots won Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference champion New England Patriots won their first Super...
.
While the NFL has defended the call, not everybody has agreed. Bruce Allen, who ran the front office for the Raiders at the time of the game, still believes it was a fumble. "The rule itself doesn't bother me," he said. "But the way the rule is written, it was a fumble." Nevertheless, when the NFL's Competition Committee re-examined the rule after the 2001-2002 season, they made no changes to the rule; Pereira notes that attempts have been made to revise the rule, but such revisions have always proven to be more difficult to enforce than the current rule.
The tuck rule also was enforced in the NFL playoff game on January 9, 2011 between the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
and the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
. After this game, Mike Pereira, the former NFL vice-president for officiating, stated that he was no longer in support of the tuck rule.
The tuck rule was also enforced on October 2nd, 2011 during a game between the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
. When the Bengals Andy Dalton
Andy Dalton
Andrew Grant Dalton is an ex-All Blacks rugby union player who captained the side 17 times in tests...
was tackled by two Bills defenders and the ball was returned for a touchdown by the Bills Bryan Scott
Bryan Scott
Bryan Anderson Scott is an American football safety for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
. After reviewing the play, the officials ruled that Andy Dalton
Andy Dalton
Andrew Grant Dalton is an ex-All Blacks rugby union player who captained the side 17 times in tests...
was tucking the ball, reversing the touchdown and giving the Bengals control of the ball.
The tuck rule was also enforced on October 30, 2011 during a game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Cincinnati Bengals. Andy Dalton started into his throwing motion but decided not to throw the pass. The ball came out of his hand and traveled backwards striking the umpire. Dalton fell on the ball at the one yard line but it was later ruled an incomplete pass, though the call was questionable because the "pass" appeared to travel backwards, in which case it should have been spotted at the one yard line.