Super Bowl 56 will see Ron Torbert join a prestigious list of refs to be in charge of the biggest game of the NFL season. Let’s take a look at who else will join Torbert on the field Sunday, who are the alternate officials, and how much refs and officials get paid for working the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl 56 refs
When Torbert takes the field for Super Bowl 56, it will be his first time officiating a game in the final two weekends of the NFL season. While this will be Torbert’s 10th postseason assignment, the previous nine all came on Wild Card Weekend or the Divisional Round. Torbert was also the ref for the 49ers vs. Packers Divisional Round game in the 2021-2022 postseason.
However, Torbert will have some officials around him who have Super Bowl experience. Let’s take a look at who else will be on the field with Torbert.
- Referee: Ron Torbert
- Umpire: Bryan Neale
- Down Judge: Derick Bowers
(Previous SB(s): XLIII) - Line Judge: Carl Johnson
(Previous SB(s): XLII, LIV) - Field Judge: Rick Patterson
(Previous SB(s): XXXVII, XXXIX) - Side Judge: Keith Washington
- Back Judge: Scott Helverson
(Previous SB(s): XLII, XLV) - Replay Official: Roddy Ames
- Replay Assistant: Sean McKee
(Previous SB(s): LV)
Alternate officials: R Bill Vinovich (XLIX & LIV), U Paul King, DJ Ed Camp (LIII), LJ Greg Bradley, FL Aaron Santi, SJ Jonah Monroe, BJ Greg Steed, RO Mark Butterworth.
What criteria must officials meet to work a Super Bowl?
Before a referee can be considered for a Super Bowl, they must have worked five years in the league, three of them at the referee position. Additionally, they must have worked at least one playoff game as a referee prior to the Super Bowl.
The remaining members of the crew must also have been in the league for at least five years. Additionally, they must have previously worked a Conference Championship or qualified for the postseason in three of the past five postseasons.
How much do Super Bowl refs earn?
NFL salaries and playoff bonuses are not officially reported, so we do not know exactly how much an official gets paid for working the Super Bowl. Some reports have placed the salary of officials at around $10,000 for working the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, reports for the refs themselves can be up to around $40,000 to $50,000 for working the Super Bowl.
That is significantly higher than an official or referee would be expected to earn on a per-game basis during the season. In 2019, it was reported that, on average, refs earned $205,000 for the regular season. So, even if we project that a ref at the top end of the scale may earn $500,000 a season, their Super Bowl pay of between $40,000 and $50,000 would represent a significant single-game bonus.
Which officials have been selected for the NFL’s marquee game the most?
Just five officials have been selected to work five different Super Bowls in their careers. None of those officials worked any of their five as the referee. A further eight officials have worked four Super Bowls. Only one referee, Jerry Markbreit, has worked four Super Bowls as the referee. None of the other officials who worked four Super Bowls did so as the referee.
- Officials to have worked five Super Bowls
- Bob Beeks
XIV, XVI, XVIII, XXI, XXIII - Ron Botchan
XX, XXVII, XXIX, XXXI, XXXIV - Jack Fette
V, VIII, X, XIII, XXII - Al Jury
XX, XXII, XXIV, XXVIII, XXXIV - Tom Kelleher
IV, VII, XI, XV, XIX
- Bob Beeks
- Officials to have worked four Super Bowls
- Al Conway
IX, XIV, XVI, XXII - Art Demmas
XIII, XVII, XXV, XXVII - Fritz Graf
V, VIII, XV, XVIII - Stan Javie
II, VIII, X, XIV - Jerry Markbreit
XVII, XXI, XXVI, XXIX - Tony Veteri
II, VII, XII, XV - Jerry Bergman
XIII, XVI, XVIII, XXIII - Carl Paganelli
XXXIX, XLI, XLVI, XLVIII
- Al Conway