Rams propose to close double-pass loophole after bizarre Tom Brady play in 2020

One of the strangest plays of the 2020 season occurred when the Los Angeles Rams visited the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a Monday Night Football matchup in Week 11. It happened in the fourth quarter when Tom Brady threw a pass that was batted at the line, and subsequently caught by the quarterback. He then threw it downfield to Mike Evans for an 8-yard completion, just short of the first-down line.

It was a bizarre play that featured two forward passes, and it actually counted for an 8-yard gain. That’s because the Rams declined the penalty to make it fourth-and-2, allowing the completion to stand from Brady to Evans.

Had they accepted the penalty, it would’ve pushed the Buccaneers back 5 yards, but it would’ve remained third down.

Well, the Rams are attempting to close that loophole this year. They submitted a rule proposal to the league that would cause a double-forward pass to result in a 5-yard loss and a loss of down.

1. By Los Angeles Rams; to amend Rule 8, Section 1, Article 2, to add a loss of down for a second forward pass from behind the line and for a pass thrown after the ball returns behind the line.

It’s a play that rarely happens, but since it happened to the Rams last season, it only makes sense that they would try to amend it by preventing the offense from benefitting from it. Fortunately, the Rams held on to win 27-24, so the completion didn’t wind up hurting them.

Other rule proposals submitted by teams this week include allowing skill-position players and linebackers to wear single-digit uniforms, the removal of overtime in the preseason and a fourth-and-15 attempt in place of an onside kick.