Tuck rule _ _ notoc _ _ The tuck rule was a controversial rule in American football used by the National Football League from 1999 until 2013 . It stated : 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 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 was an exception to this rule . It applied if the quarterback moved his arm forward in a passing motion , but then changed his mind and tried to keep hold of the football rather than attempt a pass . In this situation , if the quarterback lost the ball while stopping his passing motion or bringing the ball back to his body , it was still considered a forward pass ( and thus an incomplete pass if the ball hit 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 . History . Raiders vs . Patriots ( " Tuck Rule Game " ) ( 2002 ) . The tuck rule resulted in a controversial finish to an AFC divisional playoff game on January 19 , 2002 , between the New England Patriots 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 . 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 . Redskins vs . Broncos ( 2005 ) . The tuck rule was enforced in a regular season game on October 8 , 2005 between the Washington Redskins and the Denver Broncos . Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer lost the football while in the Broncos ' own end zone . Referees initially called the play a fumble and awarded the Redskins a safety , but after instant - replay review cited the tuck rule in reversing the decision and calling it an incomplete pass . The Redskins eventually went on to win the game anyway . Afterwards , 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 . " Pereira said the rule came up in games about 12 to 15 times per season and explained that despite its unpopularity , the competition committee had been unable to come up with a better rule . Chief vs . Ravens ( 2011 ) . The tuck rule was also enforced in a 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 . Repeal . In March 2013 , the NFL competition committee proposed that league owners eliminate the tuck rule . The owners abolished the rule with a 29 - 1 vote at the 2013 annual meeting in Phoenix on March 20 , 2013 . The only team to vote against the elimination of the tuck rule was the Pittsburgh Steelers , while the New England Patriots and Washington Redskins abstained from the vote . Afterwards , referring obliquely to the 2002 Tuck Rule Game , Patriots owner Robert Kraft said , " I love the tuck rule , and forever will , and I know [ longtime Raiders owner ] Al Davis , may he rest in peace , is probably smiling . ” References . Notes