On Monday night, a touchdown came off the board based on an application of one of the most basic rules in the book.
To complete a catch, both feet (or a body part other than a foot) must land in bounds.
It’s not enough for one foot to hit twice. That’s what Steelers receiver George Pickens did in the back of the end zone, with his right foot striking twice and his left foot never coming down.
The rulebook is clear. “Both feet” not “two feet” is the key term. Left foot and right foot, in any order.
Everyone knows that rule. It’s one of the biggest differences between college and pro football.
But last night’s play raises a fair question. Should one foot twice be good enough? Should the rule be that one foot plus any other body part (including the same foot) allows the catch to be completed?
The easier approach is to expect players to do what the rule requires. For whatever reason, Pickens didn’t get his left foot down. Even if, in theory, a player hops down the field on one leg 20 times, he never completes the catch unless the other foot — or some other body part — hits the ground.
As a practical matter, there’s a point at which the second foot shouldn’t matter. But the rule makes it clear that the second foot always matters. The easiest thing to do is just put that foot down.
