Super Bowl referee says Jerricho Cotchery play could have been a catch

One of the more controversial plays in Super Bowl 50 came on the first quarter review of what the Carolina Panthers thought was a catch by Jerricho Cotchery.

Cotchery appeared to catch a pass on first down from Cam Newton, but the officials ruled it incomplete. Head coach Ron Rivera challenged the ruling, which was upheld, costing Carolina a timeout.

Two plays later, Newton was strip sacked and Denver’s Malik Jackson recovered the fumble in the end zone to give the Broncos a 10-0 lead. That was the game-changing play.

As if Panthers fans didn’t already feel badly enough about losing the game, the text of the conversation between Rivera and head referee Clete Blakeman will make them sick.

Here’s how the exchange between Blakeman and Rivera went, as transcribed by CBS Sports.

“There was not enough confirmation …”

RR: “That’s the problem with there’s not enough confirmation, he had his hand under the ball.”

CB: “We couldn’t overturn it because …”

RR: “Right — if we had called it complete it’d stay complete right?”

CB: “Yes.”

And that is the difference between confirming and upholding a call from replay. The NFL’s standard for overturning a call on replay is conclusive evidence. Because of the possibility that Cotchery’s ball may have touched the turf, the officials could not conclude that he made the catch and overturn the call.

NFL VP of Officiating Dean Blandino weighed in on the play via Twitter Sunday with his belief:

On CAR challenge the ball touched the ground and slid up his body. Not enough evidence to change the call on the field.

— Dean Blandino (@DeanBlandino) February 8, 2016

Had the play been ruled a catch, Newton being sacked may not have gone for a touchdown, and the game may have been closer. Of course, that’s no consolation for Panthers fans, nor is this tidbit about the replay assistant.