Profiles

A salute to the veterans in stripes

Profiles

by Ben Austro - November 11, 2022November 11, 2022 0

We recognize with profound respect all those who have served our country on this day, and we salute the veterans on the NFL officiating staff. http://gty.im/1190306201 LJ59 Rusty Baynes, U.S. Marine Corps, 1988-94 http://gty.im/1228501615 LJ44 SSgt. Frank LeBlanc, Texas Army National Guard, 1983-2004 http://gty.im/1183900979 FJ109 Dyrol Prioleau, U.S. Air Force, 1982-2005 http://gty.im/1182936234 FJ31 Tech Sgt. Mearl Robinson, U.S.

Side judge Lo van Pham is the NFL’s first Asian-American official

Profiles

by Cameron Filipe - September 9, 2022September 9, 2022 0

Embed from Getty Images Lo van Pham, the side judge on referee Clete Blakeman's crew, is not only starting his first season as an NFL official in 2022, but is also making history as the first Asian-American game official in the league's long history -- a history which has seen over

Jeff Bergman becomes the 8th official in the ’30 Club’ as he enters his final season

by Cameron Filipe - August 30, 2022August 30, 2022 0

Line judge Jeff Bergman officiated the 2022 edition of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, as a crew consisting of the longest tenured official at each position suited up for what is likely the first time in league history. By doing so, Bergman began his 30th NFL season, an

Remembering Tommy Bell on his 100th birthday

by Mark Schultz - July 2, 2022July 18, 2022 0

Embed from Getty Images We pause today to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of NFL referee Tommy Bell. He was born July 2, 1922, and died February 20, 1986, after a long illness. Bell worked in the NFL in 1961 and retired after the 1976 AFC Championship Game. In an

Happy birthday, Jim Daopoulos

Profiles

by Ben Austro - June 19, 2022June 20, 2022 0

http://gty.im/97636443 Happy birthday to former NFL official and league officiating supervisor Jim Daopolous, who just turned 75 years old. Daopolous entered the NFL in 1989 as a field judge (at that time, the deep wing position was named back judge), and in his first game he immediately caught the eye of the

A salute to the veterans in stripes

Profiles

by Ben Austro - November 11, 2021November 11, 2021 0

Throwback Thursday: 1985 feature on Dick Jorgensen crew

by Mark Schultz - February 18, 2021April 25, 2023 1

Back in the day, it was quite rare for network television to do a feature story on the NFL officials. In 1985, The NFL Today did a feature on referee Dick Jorgensen and his crew. Jorgensen's crew in 1985 was umpire Neil Gereb, head linesman Ron Phares, line judge Dick McKenzie (father

Sarah Thomas is set to make history again. But did the league rush to get to the milestone?

by Mark Schultz and Ben Austro - February 4, 2021January 26, 2022 4

Sarah Thomas has blazed a trail in 25 football seasons. She started calling football in her native Mississippi in 1996. This Sunday, she officiates the biggest game of the year, Super Bowl LV. When Thomas, 47, was in high school, she didn't play football, but she was a star athlete. She

A salute to the veterans in stripes

Profiles

by Ben Austro - November 11, 2020November 11, 2020 0

Happy birthday, Bob McElwee

Profiles

by Mark Schultz - August 20, 2020January 18, 2022 0

https://gty.im/714140 Congratulations to Bob McElwee on his 85th birthday today! McElwee was a NFL line judge and referee from the 1976-2002 seasons. McElwee wore number 95 for most of his career. He was a line judge from 1976-79 learning under referees Jim Tunney and Ben Dreith. The NFL expanded crews in