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Referee Bill Vinovich will lead the NFL’s seven-member officiating crew when the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots take the field for Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday, Feb. 1.
Vinovich will be joined by umpire Bill Schuster, head linesman Dana McKenzie, line judge Mark Perlman, field judge Bob Waggoner, side judge Tom Hill and back judge Terrence Miles. Together, this officiating crew brings 86 years of NFL officiating experience and 59 combined games of playoff experience to the Super Bowl.
NFL Referee Bill Vinovich makes a call during an NFL football game between the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2014 in Detroit. (Jeff Haynes/AP Images for Panini)
Vinovich, in his 12th season as an NFL game official and ninth as a referee, joined the league in 2001 as a side judge and was promoted to referee in 2004. He has officiated five playoff games, including three divisional playoffs, and was the alternate referee for Super Bowl XLVII.
To be eligible for the Super Bowl, officials must be rated in the top tier at their position by the league’s Officiating Department, have at least five years of NFL experience and have previous playoff officiating experience.
Mike Wimmer will be the game’s replay official. The replay assistant will be Terry Poulos.
This is the first Super Bowl assignment for Vinovich, Schuster, McKenzie and Miles, and the third for Perlman, who previously worked Super Bowls XL and XLIII. Hill and Waggoner also officiated Super Bowl XL.
The game begins at 6:30 p.m. EST at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
