Bill Vinovich is one of the NFL‘s most seasoned officials with nearly two decades of experience officiating the league’s games, many of those spent as head referee leading his crews. Vinovich drew the biggest assignment of the year with Super Bowl 58, a prestigious yet highly scrutinized role.
Bill Vinovich’s Estimated Salary and Super Bowl Pay
Vinovich has 18 seasons of experience officiating NFL games, starting with his first stint from 2001-06. He worked his way up to the referee role in 2004 and has solely served in the prominent post ever since.
Following a short hiatus, Vinovich got back to officiating NFL games in 2012 and has called a minimum of 13 games every season in that span, including at least one playoff game every season.
Vinovich has likely racked up quite the chunk of change from his timing officiating NFL games.
Officials’ salaries are not public information, but estimates from expired Collective Bargaining Agreements place the most recent average salary between them at roughly $205,000 per year. Previous calculations put the number at $150,000 as the figure continues to grow with the NFL’s continued growth.
Additionally, a referee in Vinovich’s position is estimated to make between $3,000-5,000 per playoff game. Refereeing the Super Bowl can come with a significantly higher pay check with the higher estimates around $50,000.
Vinovich is reffing his third Super Bowl with Sunday’s matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.
His first time officiating the big game came in Super Bowl 49 — the New England Patriots won 27-24 over the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle was assessed seven penalties for a loss of 70 yards in the contest, while New England lost 36 yards on five flags from Vinovich’s crew.
Vinovich also refereed Super Bowl 54 just a few years ago, a game in which the Chiefs and 49ers also squared off, with Kansas City taking a 31-20 victory. The Chiefs were penalized four times for 24 yards on the day, while San Francisco lost 45 yards on five penalties.
Vinovich has refereed 17 games this season heading into the Super Bowl. He last called the Divisional Round playoff matchup between the Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which Detroit won 31-23. The Lions were penalized three times for 17 yards on the day, while the Bucs had five flags enforced against them for a loss of 33 yards.
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Vinovich is joined in officiating this year’s Super Bowl by umpire Terry Killens, down judge Patrick Holt, line judge Mark Perlman, field judge Tom Hill, side judge Allen Baynes, back judge Brad Freeman, and replay official Mike Chase.
All eyes will be on how Vinovich and his crew officiate the game, with controversy all but certain to ensue over any number of calls or no-calls.
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