When it comes to officiating, NFL fans not to mention players and coaches tend to remember the misses or mistakes, real or perceived, more than calls that were right, particularly in late-season games. Mike Pereira, who once was in charge of the folks in stripes making those split-second decisions, has a vivid memory of one particular correct ruling that helped determine the outcome of a Super Bowl.
The seven NFL officials who will be on the field during the Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers probably would prefer it if no one realizes they are there in Las Vegas on Sunday.
When it comes to officiating, NFL fans not to mention players and coaches tend to remember the misses or mistakes, real or perceived, more than calls that were right, particularly in late-season games. Mike Pereira, who once was in charge of the folks making those split-second decisions, has a vivid memory of one particular correct ruling that helped determine the outcome of a Super Bowl.
Taylor Swift — expected to cheer from a suite. And then there's a whole other group who will be seen often during the NFL championship game, seven people who probably prefer if no one realizes they're in Las Vegas at all Sunday: The officials in the black-and-white uniforms in charge of making sure rules are followed and chaos is kept to a minimum. You're just doing what you've been trained to do, which is: You see a call, you make the call.
When it comes to officiating, NFL fans — not to mention players and coaches — tend to remember the misses or mistakes, real or perceived, more than calls that were right, particularly in late-season games. Mike Pereira, who once was in charge of the folks in stripes making those split-second decisions, has a vivid memory of one particular correct ruling that helped determine the outcome of a Super Bowl. It came on Feb. 1, 2009, when Ben Roethlisberger connected with a leaping Santonio Holmes on a 6-yard touchdown pass in a back corner of the end zone with 35 seconds left, helping the Pittsburgh Steelers edge Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald and the Arizona Cardinals 27-23.