NFL names Super Bowl LIV officials

The NFL named the officials for Super Bowl LIV. We’ll get to see an accountant, building developer, teacher, carpenter, computer systems analyst and the always exciting, director of operations and management, run up and down the field trying to keep up with world-class athletes.

Bill Vinovich has been named the referee for the matchup. The league usually only lets officials work in two post-season games but this will be Vinovich’s third in 2020, as he was the referee for the Titans-Ravens Divisional matchup and an alternate in the Titans-Patriots Wild Card game.

Vinovich was also the referee last season when the Rams got away with an egregious pass interference in the NFC Championship Game, which was a big factor in them moving on to the Super Bowl to take on the Patriots. That play is what gave us the half-hearted attempt by the league to make pass interference reviewable this season. Many fans won’t be pleased with his selection.

In his 15th season, Vinovich was the NFL’s highest-rated referee in 2019 and got the nod based on that rating. According to the site, Football Zebras, this group of officials has the most Super Bowl experience since the “one-yard short” Super Bowl when the Rams held off the Titans in 2000. Vinovich himself has had 14 post-season assignments and one other Super Bowl, the “give Marshawn Lynch the damn ball!” Super Bowl where the Patriots held on to beat the Seahawks in 2014.

Other than Vinovich, we will have:

Umpire: Barry Anderson
Field Judge: Michael Banks
Down Judge: Kent Payne
Side Judge: Boris Cheek
Line Judge: Carl Johnson
Back Judge: Greg Steed
Replay Official: Mike Chase
Replay Assistant: Marv LeBlanc

Of the on-field officials, all have worked one or more Super Bowls except for Barry Anderson, who has worked three Wild Card rounds and five Divisional rounds.