Back to the Pittsburgh Steelers Newsfeed

NFL catch rule apparently changed for the Super Bowl while fans were kept in the dark

Alberto Riveron, the senior vice president of officiating for the NFL, didn’t make the any friends in Pittsburgh after he ruled the Jesse James “catch” against the Patriots an incomplete pass. His decision directly affected the seeding for the AFC playoffs, giving the Patriots the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and the Steelers the No. 2 seed.

Then Tuesday, Riveron revealed to ESPN that two Eagles touchdowns in the Super Bowl that were reviewed by him were ruled “differently” than the regular season. The Eagles beat the Patriots, 41-33.

The standard for changing the rulebook has always been voting on new proposals during the offseason.