Former NFL and NCAA official Jon Bible passes away

Jon Bible, a former NCAA and NFL official and a NCAA baseball umpire, has died after a being diagnosed with cancer in February. He was 75.

Bible got his start umpiring amateur baseball and worked as a minor league umpire from 1970-73. After he got married, he decided against pro umpiring and worked college baseball — a more agreeable lifestyle for the newlywed. He worked seven College World Series and served as NCAA National Coordinator of Umpires from 1990 to 1996.

Bible added basketball and football officiating to his résumé and worked college football in the old Southwest Conference from 1987 to 1993. He joined the NFL as a side judge in 1994 and wore uniform number 40.

His tenure in the NFL was not a happy one as Jerry Seeman, supervisor of officials, dropped him from the roster after his third season. Bible wrote candidly about this negative experience and honestly assessed his time as a side judge in columns for Referee magazine.

Back to college

Bible immediately returned to the college ranks and was a referee for the Big 12 Conference. He lead crews in several high profile games, including conference championships. Bible also worked several Bowl games including the 2007 BCS National Championship.

Bible was a referee for the first iteration of the United Football League in 2009. That league was interesting because the officials wore red shirts and black pants – dubbed the “Tiger Sunday” uniform (see below).

After leaving the field, Bible worked as a replay official in the Southeastern Conference. He also contributed to Referee Magazine, writing several columns about football officiating and baseball umpiring. He used his experiences on the field to teach officials and umpires how to properly call a baseball or football game.

Off the field, Bible was an attorney and taught law and economics at Texas State University. He leaves behind his wife Carolyn.

Our sympathies to all who knew him and loved him.