No. 70 will never be worn again by an official
The NFL made history this weekend at its officiating clinic in Dallas, as it announced that it will retire the number 70 jersey in honor of former NFL referee and supervisor of officials, Jerry Seeman. Seeman worked Super Bowls XXIII and XXV as a referee, and worked in the NFL from 1975 – 1991 as a head linesman, line judge and referee. He was supervisor of officials from 1991 to 2001. Seeman passed away last year from cancer at age 77.
This is the first time the NFL has retired an official’s jersey number. Mike Pereira tweeted the information at the conclusion of the NFL officiating clinic.
Commissioner Roger Goodell paid tribute to Seeman last year when he commented, “Jerry modernized and improved NFL officiating during his 10 seasons leading the department. He was very proud of being a football official, and he always made the NFL proud through his skill, integrity, and professionalism.”
Seeman isn’t the only person who wore number 70. Hugh Gamber wore the number in the early 1970s and was the back judge for Super Bowl V. Seeman then wore number 70 after Gamber’s retirement, and then Scott Dawson took it after Seeman’s retirement. Dawson retired after the 2013 season and so did number 70 in honor of Seeman.
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Nice gesture by the NFL. Hopefully the NFL will also retire some other officials’ numbers (e.g. Schacter, McNally, Markbreit, Kelleher, Botchan) in the not-too-distant future.
Nice sentiments, Bob; however if we start retiring too many numbers, the NFL will have to start using numbers over 135 which I am not a fan of. If the NFL goes to eight man onfield crews they’ll have to expand their numbers anyway.
Another idea would be to drop this unwritten rule that NFL officials are barred from the HOF and start inducting some of the great officials.
When I heard this news, I immediately went to watch a replay of Super Bowl XXV. Tremendous move by the NFL, what an honor, and what a great tribute.