NFL officials have a lot of things in common with offensive linemen: they're only mentioned when something bad happens, they're often undervalued and they play a pivotal role in making sure the game goes smoothly.
Each year, the Super Bowl is played by two teams that earned the right to be there. The same applies for NFL officials. With the massive audience the Super Bowl draws, the NFL needs to make sure the rules are enforced properly. That means it's vital to have the best officials on the field.
How is the Super Bowl officiating crew selected?
The NFL's highest-rated official at each position is selected to work in the championship game. This is determined by the league's evaluation system that assesses and grades each official's calls during the regular season. All missed penalties or incorrect calls negatively affect an official's chances to receive a coveted Super Bowl assignment.
That's quite different than how officiating operates during the rest of the season, when each game is officiated by predetermined crews that work together for the entire season. It's not possible to select an entire crew to officiate the championship game since officials must meet certain requirements to be eligible for a Super Bowl assignment.
In the past, all members of the Super Bowl officiating crew needed at least five years of on-field experience. The head of the officiating crew — the white hat referee — was required to have at least three years of experience as a referee and must have officiated a playoff game as a referee in a previous postseason. All other members of the Super Bowl officiating crew must have officiated a conference championship game or received on-field assignments in three of the previous five postseasons.
Those requirements changed after the league's officiating department restructured this past offseason. The league hired former umpire Ramon George to succeed Walt Anderson as vice president of officiating training and development, per ESPN. Two officials on the crew for Super Bowl LIX are in their third season of officiating, which is a departure from the previous five-year requirement.
"It's not collectively bargained to have a certain number of years [of experience]," George said. "That's just a rule that whomever is in the position to select, that is their philosophy. I don't live by that philosophy. If you are the best, then you should be on the field."
FOX Sports rules analyst Mike Pereira, who was formerly the league’s vice president of officiating, disagreed with George’s decision. At the Super Bowl media center on Thursday, Pereira told reporters that he would not assigned an official with less than five years of experience to the Super Bowl.
"You have to consider experience," Pereira said, via ESPN. "Because this isn't a typical regular-season game. It's not a typical wild card or division or championship either. This is like a whole different thing ... adjusting to the speed of this game, speed and the size — that's not easy to do. This is not the SEC, this is not the Big Ten. This is the NFL, where the speed is incredible at almost every position. ... I don't think I ever would have changed my thinking about getting five seasons under your belt."
The officiating crew for Super Bowl LIX
The Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs will face off in Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday, Feb. 9.
Officiating has become a major topic of discussion in recent weeks, particularly in relation to the Kansas City Chiefs. As accusations of preferential treatment for the reigning Super Bowl champions run rampant, all eyes will be on the penalty flags in the championship game.
The officiating crew for Super Bowl LIX will be led by referee Ron Torbert, per Football Zebras.
Torbert, 61, is in his 15th season as an official and 15th season as a referee. He has had 13 postseason assignments in the past, including four wild-card games, seven divisional-round matchups, one conference championship and one Super Bowl. He had his first Super Bowl assignment in Super Bowl LVI — which resulted in the Los Angeles Rams defeating the Cincinnati Bengals.
Down judge Max Causey and umpire Mike Morton, a former player, only have three years of experience as NFL officials, and both have only had two postseason assignments prior to the Super Bowl. Morton also officiated the NFC Championship Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders, marking a departure from the previous custom that kept officials from presiding over both a conference championship game and Super Bowl.
Last season, umpire Terry Killens, a former linebacker for the Tennessee Titans, became the first person to play in and officiate a Super Bowl. Now, Morton will become the first official who won a Super Bowl championship to officiate a Super Bowl.
The rest of the crew is comprised of line judge Mark Steward, field judge Mearl Robinson, side judge Borris Cheek and back judge Jonah Monroe.