Super Bowl LV officiating crew: Carl Cheffers named referee, Sarah Thomas to make history
On Sunday, we will find out which two teams will be facing off in Super Bowl LV on Feb. 7 in Tampa, Florida. We already know who will be blowing the whistles and flipping the opening coin toss.
The NFL announced on Tuesday that Carl Cheffers will be the referee for Super Bowl LV, leading a seven-person crew of distinguished game officials.
“Their body of work over the course of a 17-game season has earned them the honor of officiating the biggest game on the world’s biggest stage,” NFL EVP of football operations Troy Vincent said in a statement. “They are the best of the best.”
Cheffers, in his 21st season as an NFL official, will be refereeing his second Super Bowl; he was in charge during Super Bowl LI in 2017.
Among Cheffers’ crew is down judge Sarah Thomas, who will become the first woman to ever officiate in a Super Bowl.
“Sarah Thomas has made history again as the first female Super Bowl official,” Vincent said. “Her elite performance and commitment to excellence has earned her the right to officiate the Super Bowl. Congratulations to Sarah on this well-deserved honor.”
Rounding out the crew are umpire Fred Bryan, line judge Rusty Baynes, field judge James Coleman, side judge Eugene Hall, back judge Dino Paganelli and replay official Mike Wimmer.
