Bob McElwee
Encyclopedia
Robert T. "Bob" McElwee (born August 20, 1935 in Camden, New Jersey
) is a former American football official, who served for 41 years, with 27 of those years in the National Football League
(NFL) from 1976 to 2003. In the NFL, he wore the uniform number 95 for most of his career.
, where he was a three sport letterman, and a 1957 graduate of the United States Naval Academy
, where he played linebacker for the football team and was a member of the Sugar Bowl
championship team in 1955. Following graduation, McElwee was commissioned in the United States Air Force
serving as a pilot and utilities engineer.
McElwee began officiating in 1961 while stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base
in California
. Upon discharge from the military, he returned home to the Philadelphia area and began officiating high school football. In 1966, McElwee received his first college assignment from the Eastern College Athletic Conference
. He also spent 10 years officiating in the Ivy League
.
. He was the referee for three Super Bowl
s (XXII
in 1988, XXVIII
in 1994, and XXXIV
in 2000) and has officiated in numerous playoff
games. McElwee is one of only 5 referees who have officiated 3 or more Super Bowls, along with Norm Schachter
, Jim Tunney
, Pat Haggerty
, and Jerry Markbreit
. He is also the only referee to officiate a Super Bowl in 3 different decades. He was also the alternate referee in Super Bowl XVII
in 1983. His final game was the 2003 Pro Bowl
.
Bob is a partner in the McElwee Group, a firm specializing in construction of water filtration and waste water treatment plants and is heavily involved in community service. He is co-founder of Renew, an inner-city non-profit organization dedicated to providing housing for the disadvantaged in Camden, New Jersey. He has also worked on fund-raising efforts for the American Red Cross
.
McElwee currently resides in Haddonfield, New Jersey
, and is married with two sons, Scott and Tommy, and one daughter, Suzanne. He has six grandchildren: Sydney, Connor, Davis, Carter, Emma and Aline.
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
) is a former American football official, who served for 41 years, with 27 of those years in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) from 1976 to 2003. In the NFL, he wore the uniform number 95 for most of his career.
Education
McElwee graduated from Haddonfield Memorial High SchoolHaddonfield Memorial High School
Haddonfield Memorial High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grade from Haddonfield, in Camden County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Haddonfield Public Schools....
, where he was a three sport letterman, and a 1957 graduate of the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
, where he played linebacker for the football team and was a member of the Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
championship team in 1955. Following graduation, McElwee was commissioned in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
serving as a pilot and utilities engineer.
McElwee began officiating in 1961 while stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base
Hamilton Air Force Base
Hamilton Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located along the western shore of San Pablo Bay, south of Novato, California.-History:...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Upon discharge from the military, he returned home to the Philadelphia area and began officiating high school football. In 1966, McElwee received his first college assignment from the Eastern College Athletic Conference
Eastern College Athletic Conference
The Eastern College Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference comprising schools that compete in 21 sports . It has 317 member institutions in NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, ranging in location from Maine to North Carolina and west to Illinois...
. He also spent 10 years officiating in the Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
.
Career
McElwee joined the NFL in 1976 as a line judge and became a referee for the start of the 1980 NFL season1980 NFL season
The 1980 NFL season was the 61st regular season of the National Football League.After the league declined to approve the proposed move by the Raiders from Oakland, California to Los Angeles, the team along with the Los Angeles Coliseum sued the NFL for violating antitrust laws...
. He was the referee for three Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
s (XXII
Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII was an American football game played on January 31, 1988 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1987 regular season...
in 1988, XXVIII
Super Bowl XXVIII
Super Bowl XXVIII was an American football game played on January 30, 1994, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1993 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Dallas Cowboys defeated the American Football...
in 1994, and XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV featured the National Football Conference champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference champion Tennessee Titans in an American football game to decide the National Football League champion for the 1999 regular season...
in 2000) and has officiated in numerous playoff
NFL playoffs
The National Football League playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held at the end of the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Six teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records, and a tie-breaking procedure exists in the...
games. McElwee is one of only 5 referees who have officiated 3 or more Super Bowls, along with Norm Schachter
Norm Schachter
Dr. Norm Schachter in Brooklyn, New York was an American football official in the National Football League for 22 years from 1954 to 1975. Over his career in the NFL, he worked three Super Bowls , 11 conference championship games, and was the referee for the first Monday Night Football game in...
, Jim Tunney
Jim Tunney (American football official)
Dr. Jim Tunney was an American football official in the National Football League from 1960 to 1991. In his 31 years as an NFL official, Jim Tunney received a record 29 post-season assignments, including ten Championship games and Super Bowls VI, XI, and XII and named as an alternate in Super Bowl...
, Pat Haggerty
Pat Haggerty (American football official)
Patrick "Pat" Haggerty was an American football official in the National Football League from 1965 to 1992. In his 28 seasons in the NFL, he was selected as the referee in three Super Bowls, XIII in 1979, XVI in 1982, and XIX in 1985...
, and Jerry Markbreit
Jerry Markbreit
Jerry Markbreit is a former American football referee in the National Football League for 23 seasons and became one of the most recognizable referees in the game. Markbreit officiated football games for 43 seasons. From 1965 to 1975, Markbreit officiated college football games in the Big Ten...
. He is also the only referee to officiate a Super Bowl in 3 different decades. He was also the alternate referee in Super Bowl XVII
Super Bowl XVII
Super Bowl XVII was an American football game played on January 30, 1983 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the strike-shortened 1982 regular season...
in 1983. His final game was the 2003 Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
.
Bob is a partner in the McElwee Group, a firm specializing in construction of water filtration and waste water treatment plants and is heavily involved in community service. He is co-founder of Renew, an inner-city non-profit organization dedicated to providing housing for the disadvantaged in Camden, New Jersey. He has also worked on fund-raising efforts for the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
.
McElwee currently resides in Haddonfield, New Jersey
Haddonfield, New Jersey
Haddonfield is a borough located in Camden County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough had a total population of 11,593....
, and is married with two sons, Scott and Tommy, and one daughter, Suzanne. He has six grandchildren: Sydney, Connor, Davis, Carter, Emma and Aline.
Television career
- McElwee served as head referee for the television show, American GladiatorsAmerican GladiatorsAmerican Gladiators is an American competition television program that aired in syndication from September 1989 to May 1996. The series matched a cast of amateur athletes against each other, as well as against the show's own gladiators, in contests of strength and agility.The concept was created by...
, in 1990. - Referee for ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's Battle of the Gridiron StarsBattle of the Gridiron StarsBattle of the Gridiron Stars is a television show that airs on ESPN. It pits teams of National Football League players, one from the American Football Conference and the National Football Conference , against each other in various athletic events.The program, which takes its inspiration from the...
.
Awards
- Art McNally AwardArt McNally AwardThe Art McNally Award is an annual award created in 2002 by then–National Football League Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and given to an NFL game official who exhibits exemplary professionalism, leadership, and commitment to sportsmanship on and off the field...
, 2002 - NASO Gold Whistle Award, 2004
- March of DimesMarch of DimesThe March of Dimes Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies.-Organization:...
Citizen of the Year Award, 1993 - Outstanding Citizenship Award from the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic AssociationNew Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic AssociationThe New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association is an association of hundreds of New Jersey high schools that regulates high school athletics and holds tournaments and crowns champions in high school sports.-State championships:...