Catch or no catch? Dez Bryant approves of Mike McCarthy's take on infamous play
The non-catch heard ‘round the world got a revival during Mike McCarthy’s introduction as the Dallas Cowboys coach on Wednesday.
In the midst of talking about his vision for his new team, McCarthy received a question about a pivotal play from his past.
Did Dez Bryant catch it?
Dez’s infamous non-catch
The question, of course, refers to the playoff game after the 2014 season that saw officials overturn a Dez Bryant catch on fourth-and-two in the late stages of a Green Bay Packers victory.
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A catch would have set the Cowboys up with first-and-goal inside the five-yard line and a chance to take the lead with less the five minutes remaining. But it was ruled incomplete upon review to the chagrin of Cowboys fans to this day.
The Packers — whom McCarthy coached at the time — went on to advance to the NFC championship.
‘It was a great catch ... but it wasn’t’
McCarthy, recognizing his new audience, handled Wednesday’s question diplomatically.
“It was a technical rule at that time,” McCarthy said. “Since then Stephen [Jones] has gotten it changed on the competition committee.
“I can’t tell you how many people from Dallas have told me about that play. It’s funny. It was a great catch, I can say now, but it wasn’t then, technically.”
Bryant approves?
Bryant was watching, and appeared to like what he heard.
Coach McCarthy... you are a real 1....
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) January 9, 2020
He must have just heard the part about it being a “great catch.” Or maybe he just respects McCarthy’s candor on the heels of a Jason Garrett tenure he clearly did not respect.
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