The Super Bowl officials are the officials chosen for the Super Bowl, the championship game of the National Football League (NFL), the largest and most prestigious professional American football league.

Selection

The NFL's highest-rated official at each position is selected to work the Super Bowl. This is determined by the league using an evaluation system to grade each official's calls during the year. However, only officials who have worked in the league for at least five seasons and have previously worked during the playoffs are eligible to officiate in a Super Bowl. A referee cannot work the Super Bowl at that position until she or he has been a referee for at least three seasons, while also meeting the five-year minimum service requirement.[1]

This has not always been the case. From Super Bowl I to Super Bowl IV, when the game was the "AFL (American Football League)-NFL World Championship Game", the officiating crews consisted of members from both leagues. Then for Super Bowl XXXVIII and Super Bowl XXXIX, the NFL selected the highest rated crew during the regular season. This was a reaction to several officiating mistakes during the 2002-03 playoffs, and the league felt that preserving the familiarity and cohesiveness of the officiating crews during the postseason might reduce the errors.[2]

List of officials

Note: A seven-official system was not used until Super Bowl XIII. Beginning with Super Bowl XXXIII, the league swapped position titles with the field judge and back judge.

AFL-NFL World Championships

Game Date Referee Umpire Head Linesman Line Judge Field Judge Back Judge
I 15 January 1967 Norm Schachter (NFL) George Young (AFL) Bernie Ulman (NFL) Al Sabato (AFL) Mike Lisetski (NFL) Jack Reader (AFL)
II 14 January 1968 Jack Vest (AFL) Ralph Morcroft (NFL) Tony Veteri (AFL) Bruce Alford (NFL) Bob Baur (AFL) Stan Javie (NFL)
III 12 January 1969 Tom Bell (NFL) Walt Parker (AFL) George Murphy (NFL) Cal Lepore (AFL) Joe Gonzalez (NFL) Jack Reader (AFL)
IV 11 January 1970 John McDonough (AFL) Lou Palazzi (NFL) Harry Kessel (AFL) Bill Schleibaum (NFL) Charley Musser (AFL) Tom Kelleher (NFL)

NFL Championships

Game Date Referee Umpire Down Judge Line Judge Field Judge Back Judge Side Judge Replay Official
V 17 January 1971 Norm Schachter Paul Trepinski Ed Marion Jack Fette Fritz Graf Hugh Gamber Added
in 1978
VI 16 January 1972 Jim Tunney Joe Connell Al Sabato Art Holst Bob Wortman Ralph Vandenberg
VII 14 January 1973 Tom Bell Lou Palazzi Tony Veteri Bruce Alford Tony Skover Tom Kelleher
VIII 13 January 1974 Ben Dreith Ralph Morcroft Leo Miles Jack Fette Fritz Graf Stan Javie
IX 12 January 1975 Bernie Ulman Al Conway Ed Marion Bruce Alford Dick Dolack Ray Douglas
X 18 January 1976 Norm Schachter Joe Connell Leo Miles Jack Fette Bill O'Brien Stan Javie
XI 9 January 1977 Jim Tunney Lou Palazzi Ed Marion Bill Swanson Armen Terzian Tom Kelleher
XII 15 January 1978 Jim Tunney Joe Connell Tony Veteri Art Holst Bob Wortman Ray Douglas
XIII 21 January 1979 Pat Haggerty Art Demmas Jerry Bergman Jack Fette Fred Swearingen Pat Knight Dean Look
XIV 20 January 1980 Fred Silva Al Conway Burl Toler Bob Beeks Charley Musser Stan Javie Ben Tompkins
XV 25 January 1981 Ben Dreith Frank Sinkovitz Tony Veteri Tom Dooley Fritz Graf Tom Kelleher Dean Look
XVI 24 January 1982 Pat Haggerty Al Conway Jerry Bergman Bob Beeks Don Hakes Bill Swanson Bob Rice
XVII 30 January 1983 Jerry Markbreit Art Demmas Dale Hamer Bill Reynolds Don Orr Dick Hantak Dave Parry
XVIII 22 January 1984 Gene Barth Gordon Wells Jerry Bergman Bob Beeks Fritz Graf Ben Tompkins Gil Mace
XIX 20 January 1985 Pat Haggerty Tom Hensley Leo Miles Ray Dodez Bob Lewis Tom Kelleher Bill Quinby
XX 26 January 1986 Red Cashion Ron Botchan Dale Williams Bama Glass Jack Vaughan Al Jury Bob Rice
XXI 25 January 1987 Jerry Markbreit Bob Boylston Terry Gierke Bob Beeks Pat Mallette Jim Poole Gil Mace Art McNally
XXII 31 January 1988 Bob McElwee Al Conway Dale Hamer Jack Fette Johnny Grier Al Jury Don Wedge Art McNally
XXIII 22 January 1989 Jerry Seeman Gordon Wells Jerry Bergman Bob Beeks Bobby Skelton Paul Baetz Gary Lane Chuck Heberling
XXIV 28 January 1990 Dick Jorgensen Hendi Ancich Earnie Frantz Ron Blum Don Orr Al Jury Gerald Austin Al Sabato
XXV 27 January 1991 Jerry Seeman Art Demmas Sid Semon Dick McKenzie Jack Vaughan Banks Williams Larry Nemmers Mark Burns
XXVI 26 January 1992 Jerry Markbreit Bob Boylston Dale Williams Ron Blum Ed Merrifield Paul Baetz Dick Creed Cal Lepore
XXVII 31 January 1993 Dick Hantak Ron Botchan Ron Phares Dick McKenzie Donnie Hampton Jim Poole Dean Look
XXVIII 30 January 1994 Bob McElwee Art Demmas Sid Semon Tom Barnes Don Orr Al Jury Nate Jones
XXIX 29 January 1995 Jerry Markbreit Ron Botchan Ron Phares Ron Baynes Jack Vaughan Tim Millis Tom Fincken
XXX 28 January 1996 Red Cashion John Keck Paul Weidner Dale Orem Don Hakes Dick Creed Bill Carollo
XXXI 26 January 1997 Gerald Austin Ron Botchan Earnie Frantz Jeff Bergman Phil Luckett Scott Steenson Tom Fincken
XXXII 25 January 1998 Ed Hochuli Jim Quirk John Schleyer Ben Montgomery Don Dorkowski Paul Baetz Doug Toole
XXXIII 31 January 1999 Bernie Kukar Jim Daopoulos Sanford Rivers Ron Baynes Tim Millis Don Hakes Gary Lane
XXXIV 30 January 2000 Bob McElwee Ron Botchan Earnie Frantz Byron Boston Al Jury Bill Leavy Tom Fincken Mark Burns
XXXV 28 January 2001 Gerald Austin Chad Brown Tony Veteri, Jr. Walt Anderson Bill Lovett Bill Schmitz Doug Toole Dean Blandino
XXXVI 3 February 2002 Bernie Kukar Jeff Rice Mark Hittner Ron Phares Pete Morelli Scott Green Laird Hayes Howard Slavin
XXXVII 26 January 2003 Bill Carollo Ed Coukart Dale Williams Mark Steinkerchner Tom Sifferman Don Carey Rick Patterson Rex Stuart
XXXVIII 1 February 2004 Ed Hochuli Jeff Rice Mark Hittner Ben Montgomery Tom Sifferman Scott Green Laird Hayes Larry Hill
XXXIX 6 February 2005 Terry McAulay Carl Paganelli Gary Slaughter Mark Steinkerchner Tom Sifferman Tony Steratore Rick Patterson Al Hynes
XL 5 February 2006 Bill Leavy Garth DeFelice Mark Hittner Mark Perlman Steve Zimmer Bob Waggoner Tom Hill Bob Boylston
XLI 4 February 2007 Tony Corrente Carl Paganelli George Hayward Ron Marinucci Jim Saracino Perry Paganelli John Parry Mark Burns
XLII 3 February 2008 Mike Carey[3] Tony Michalek Gary Slaughter Carl Johnson Boris Cheek Scott Helverson Larry Rose Ken Baker
XLIII 1 February 2009 Terry McAulay Roy Ellison Derick Bowers Mark Perlman Greg Gautreaux Keith Ferguson Michael Banks Bob McGrath
XLIV 7 February 2010 Scott Green[4] Undrey Wash John McGrath Jeff Seeman Rob Vernatchi Greg Steed Greg Meyer Jim Lapetina
XLV 6 February 2011 Walt Anderson[5] Chad Brown Kent Payne John Hussey Doug Rosenbaum Scott Helverson Mike Weatherford Tommy Moore
XLVI 5 February 2012 John Parry Carl Paganelli Tom Stabile Gary Arthur Gary Cavaletto Tony Steratore Laird Hayes Larry Nemmers
XLVII 3 February 2013 Jerome Boger Darrell Jenkins Steve Stelljes Byron Boston Craig Wrolstad Dino Paganelli Joe Larrew Bill Spyksma
XLVIII 2 February 2014 Terry McAulay Carl Paganelli Jim Mello Tom Symonette Scott Steenson Steve Freeman Dave Wyant Earnie Frantz
XLIX 1 February 2015 Bill Vinovich Bill Schuster Dana McKenzie Mark Perlman Bob Waggoner Terrence Miles Tom Hill Mike Wimmer
50 7 February 2016 Clete Blakeman Jeff Rice Wayne Mackie Rusty Baynes Boris Cheek Keith Ferguson Scott Edwards Charles Stewart
LI 5 February 2017 Carl Cheffers Dan Ferrell Kent Payne Jeff Seeman Doug Rosenbaum Todd Prukop Dyrol Prioleau Tom Sifferman
LII 4 February 2018 Gene Steratore Roy Ellison Jerry Bergman, Jr. Byron Boston Tom Hill Perry Paganelli Scott Edwards Paul Weidner
LIII 3 February 2019 John Parry Fred Bryan Ed Camp Jeff Bergman Steve Zimmer Terrence Miles Eugene Hall Jim Lapetina
LIV 2 February 2020 Bill Vinovich Barry Anderson Kent Payne Carl Johnson Michael Banks Greg Steed Boris Cheek Mike Chase
LV 7 February 2021 Carl Cheffers Fred Bryan Sarah Thomas Rusty Baynes James Coleman Dino Paganelli Eugene Hall Mike Wimmer
LVI 13 February 2022 Ronald Torbert[6] Bryan Neale Derick Bowers Carl Johnson Rick Patterson Scott Helverson Keith Washington Roddy Ames
LVII 12 February 2023 Carl Cheffers Roy Ellison Jerod Phillips Jeff Bergman John Jenkins Dino Paganelli Eugene Hall Mark Butterworth
LVIII 11 February 2024 Bill Vinovich Terry Killens Patrick Holt Mark Perlman Tom Hill Brad Freeman Allen Baynes Mike Chase

Note: prior to 2017, the Down Judge was known as the Head Linesman [7]

Number of appearances

Throughout NFL history, five officials have been selected to work five Super Bowls and eight have been assigned to four Super Bowls. Jerry Markbreit is the only official to work four Super Bowls as the referee.

Super Bowl
Appearances 		Official Super Bowl(s)
5 Bob Beeks XIV, XVI, XVIII, XXI, XXIII
Ron Botchan XX, XXVII, XXIX, XXXI, XXXIV
Jack Fette V, VIII, X, XIII, XXII
Al Jury XX, XXII, XXIV, XXVIII, XXXIV
Tom Kelleher IV, VII, XI, XV, XIX
4 Al Conway IX, XIV, XVI, XXII
Art Demmas XIII, XVII, XXV, XXVII
Fritz Graf V, VIII, XV, XVIII
Stan Javie II, VIII, X, XIV
Jerry Markbreit XVII, XXI, XXVI, XXIX
Tony Veteri II, VII, XII, XV
Jerry Bergman XIII, XVI, XVIII, XXIII
Carl Paganelli XXXIX, XLI, XLVI, XLVIII

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ Bouchette, Ed (1 February 2007). "Super Bowl notebook: Ex-Steelers QB Miller likes Bears". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 15 September 2007.
  2. ^ "NFL to scrap all-star officiating crews for playoffs". Sports Illustrated. 25 March 2003. Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 15 September 2007.
  3. ^ "Carey to be first black referee in Super Bowl". Associated Press. 18 January 2008. Retrieved 19 January 2008.
  4. ^ "Officiating crew chosen to work Super Bowl XLIV; Green is referee". NFL.com/Associated Press. 3 February 2010. Archived from the original on 9 February 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  5. ^ "Super Bowl officiating crew includes Anderson as referee". National Football League. 3 February 2011. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
  6. ^ Schefter, Adam [@AdamSchefter] (25 January 2022). "Super Bowl officiating crew, via the ⁦@NFL⁩. https://t.co/a8SgqFmr43" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2022 – via Twitter.
  7. ^ Zeigler, Cyd (23 August 2017). "Why the NFL renamed the 'head linesman' the 'down judge'". SBNation.com.
  • Super Bowl Notes, Quotes & Anecdotes: Games I-XL. NFL. 2006. p. 123.
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