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© St. Petersburg Times, published December 1, 2001
Many Bucs fans were outraged Monday when officials reversed a ruling that Rams quarterback Kurt Warner had fumbled.
And had Rams coach Mike Martz seen it in another game he may have been too.
Martz told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he would not have challenged the ruling if assistant Ken Zampese had not told him about the "quarterback tuck."
On the second-quarter play, Warner's arm started forward, but then he tucked his arm -- and the ball -- as he was hit by Steve White. Officials ruled Warner lost a fumble while being sacked and gave the Bucs possession on the St. Louis 15.
But Zampese called from the press box and urged Martz to challenge.
"It's called a quarterback tuck," Martz told the Post-Dispatch. "It doesn't have to be a pass. If he starts to pass and pulls the ball down and loses the ball, that's considered a quarterback tuck."
And it is treated the same as an incomplete pass if the ball pops out. Officials apparently agreed.
But in the end, the challenge may have worked in the Bucs' favor. It was the last challenge the Rams were allowed, so they could not challenge Warrick Dunn's fourth-quarter touchdown run when he appeared to step out of bounds on his way to breaking a 17-17 tie.