NFL VP of officiating: Bryant's TD shouldn't have been ruled a catch

An incredible display of athleticism from Martavis Bryant last week has stirred up further controversy in the NFL's never-ending catch debate.

The touchdown Bryant made last week, helping the Pittsburgh Steelers to a wild-card win over the Cincinnati Bengals, was only upheld due to insufficient video evidence, NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino said Friday.

The ruling, according to Blandino, should have been an incomplete pass.

"I don't think this is a catch," Blandino said, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. "If I just had a blank slate and I could say, 'Do you think it's a catch or not a catch?' I would (have) said no catch. But the ruling on the field was a catch, and we have to see clear and obvious evidence that it's not a catch."

Bladino said the issue was whether Bryant had control of the ball, and got both feet in bounds, as he attempted to pin it against the back of his leg.

Because the replay didn't provide indisputable video evidence to the contrary, the initial touchdown call was upheld.

Bryant's catch was Pittsburgh's lone touchdown of the game, putting his team up 15-0 late in the third quarter. The early advantage was enough for the Steelers to hold off Cincinnati's late comeback attempt and thus advance to this weekend's divisional round.