Jerry Markbreit
Encyclopedia
Jerry Markbreit is a former American football referee
in the National Football League
(NFL) 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 Conference
. He then joined the NFL in 1976 as a line judge before being promoted to the head referee position in just his second year. His uniform number in the league was 9, which is now worn by Mark Perlman
. Until he retired from the NFL after the 1998 season
, Markbreit officiated in two wild card (1991
and 1994
), ten divisional (1979
, 1981
, 1982
, 1985
, 1986
, 1987
, 1988
, 1995
, 1997
, and 1998
), eight conference championship (1980
, 1983
, 1984
, 1989
, 1990
, 1992
, 1993
, and 1996
) playoff games, one Pro Bowl
(1978
), and four Super Bowl
s: Super Bowl XVII
, Super Bowl XXI
, Super Bowl XXVI
, and Super Bowl XXIX
and was an alternate in Super Bowl XIX
, Super Bowl XXII
, and Super Bowl XXVIII
. To date, he is the only NFL head referee to officiate four Super Bowl games.
Until 2008, he wrote a weekly sports column for the Chicago Tribune
during the football season.
.
Markbreit began officiating as a career in 1957, when he joined the Central Officials Association, and began working public league and junior varsity games. By the late 1950s, Markbreit was officiating high school games, including several with the teenage Dick Butkus
.
Markbreit entered the Big Ten Conference as a back judge at the beginning of 1966 season, and became a referee at the end of the following season. He served as the back judge in the "Game of the Century" on November 19, 1966 between top-ranked Notre Dame and second-ranked Michigan State, and was the referee for the Rose Bowl
on New Year's Day
1972 between Stanford and Michigan.
Just before the beginning of the 1968 football season, Markbreit was offered (and declined) an early job offer from the NFL as a back judge. He felt that his lack of college experience would prevent him from obtaining the referee position in the NFL.
Markbreit joined the NFL as a line judge in 1976, and became a referee in 1977 upon the retirement of long-time referee Tommy Bell
, who was Markbreit's crew chief during the 1976 season. He retired from the field after working a playoff game between the San Francisco 49ers
and Atlanta Falcons
on January 9, 1999.
Markbreit is still very much involved in the league, as he served as an instant replay
official for two years following his retirement as an active official, and currently works as an associate supervisor and head trainer for NFL referees.
His work outside of football has included advertising sales for Where Magazine, and many years as a trade and barter manager for 3M
.
game at Ann Arbor
on November 20, 1971.
Late in that game, furious over what he thought was a missed defensive pass interference foul committed by Thom Darden of Michigan, Buckeyes coach Woody Hayes
stormed onto the field, launched a profanity-laced tirade at Markbreit, and tore up the sideline markers, receiving a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. A further enraged Hayes then threw the penalty flag into the crowd, began destroying the yard markers and threw the first-down marker into the ground like a javelin before being restrained by Buckeyes team officials; Markbreit then assessed Hayes an additional 15-yard penalty but did not eject him.
On the next play, Markbreit ejected Buckeyes linebacker Randy Gradishar
after Gradishar punched Wolverine quarterback Tom Slade
through his facemask and started a 10 minute bench-clearing brawl. Hayes and Gradishar were both suspended for one game, and Hayes was also fined $1000.
play, an infamous, controversial game-winning play executed by the Oakland Raiders
against the San Diego Chargers
on September 10, 1978. With 10 seconds left in the game, the Raiders had possession of the ball at the Chargers 14-yard line, trailing 20-14. Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler
lost the ball, and it rolled forward towards the San Diego goal line. Running back Pete Banaszak
tried to recover the ball on the 12-yard line, but could not keep his footing, and the ball was pushed even closer to the end zone. Raiders tight end
Dave Casper
was the next player to reach the ball but he also could not get a handle on it. He batted and kicked the ball into the end zone, where he fell on it for the game-tying touchdown as time ran out. The Raiders won, 21-20, with the ensuing extra point by placekicker Errol Mann
.
As referee, Markbreit had the primary responsibility of judging Stabler's actions during the play. Markbreit ruled that Stabler fumbled the ball instead of intentionally throwing a forward pass. Despite the fact that fans continue to believe it should have been called an incomplete pass, the league backed up referee Markbreit's call.
during Super Bowl XVII
. Dolphins captain Bob Kuechenberg
called "tails," and the coin came down "tails." However, Markbreit became confused by the similar design of both sides of the coin: one side had two helmets and the other side showed two players holding helmets. Thus, he incorrectly thought "heads" had landed. When Markbreit became confused, NBC Sports
play-by-play announcer Dick Enberg
ordered his producer to cut off the microphones surrounding midfield and pull away from the tight shot involving Markbreit, Kuechenburg and Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann
. After a short discussion with his head linesman, Dale Hamer
, Markbreit corrected his mistake before the kickoff.
for the first time when the Green Bay Packers
visited to play the Chicago Bears
. In the second quarter of the game, Bears quarterback Jim McMahon
was intercepted, and as he watched the proceedings downfield, Packers defensive end Charles Martin
picked up McMahon and bodyslammed him shoulder-first into the AstroTurf
. Martin remained hovered over an injured McMahon on one knee and taunted him until Bears offensive tackle Jimbo Covert barreled full-speed into Martin. Despite strenuous protests from Packers coach Forrest Gregg
, Markbreit ejected Martin, Markbreit's first ejection as an NFL official. When describing the penalty, Markbreit stated that Martin "stuffed" McMahon into the ground.
Martin was suspended for two games by NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle
, the longest suspension for an on-field incident until Tennessee Titans
defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth
was suspended five games by commissioner Roger Goodell
for stomping on the face of Dallas Cowboys
center Andre Gurode
during an October 1, 2006 game. During the game, Martin wore a "hit list" towel with the numbers of several Bears listed, including those of McMahon, running back Walter Payton
, wide receiver Willie Gault
, and center Jay Hilgenberg
. The call was largely credited by the media and NFL executives in helping Markbreit land the assignment as the referee of Super Bowl XXI
two months later.
Official (American football)
In American football, an official is a person who has responsibility in enforcing the rules and maintaining the order of the game.During professional and college football games, seven officials operate on the field...
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) 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
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
games in the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
. He then joined the NFL in 1976 as a line judge before being promoted to the head referee position in just his second year. His uniform number in the league was 9, which is now worn by Mark Perlman
Mark Perlman
Mark Perlman is an American football official in the National Football League since the 2000 NFL season. He is a line judge and wears uniform number 9, which was also worn by legendary referee Jerry Markbreit from 1976 to 1999, who, ironically, started in the league as a line judge...
. Until he retired from the NFL after the 1998 season
1998 NFL season
The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League.The Tennessee Oilers moved their home games from Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis to Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, still awaiting construction on a new stadium in Nashville.This was the first season that CBS...
, Markbreit officiated in two wild card (1991
1991 NFL season
The 1991 NFL season was the 72nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXVI when the Washington Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills....
and 1994
1994 NFL season
The 1994 NFL season was the 75th regular season of the National Football League. To honor the NFL's 75th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season...
), ten divisional (1979
1979 NFL season
The 1979 NFL season was the 60th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XIV when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Los Angeles Rams...
, 1981
1981 NFL season
The 1981 NFL season was the 62nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVI when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals.-Major rule changes:...
, 1982
1982 NFL season
The 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine game schedule...
, 1985
1985 NFL season
The 1985 NFL season was the 66th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XX when the Chicago Bears defeated the New England Patriots.-Major rule changes:...
, 1986
1986 NFL season
The 1986 NFL season was the 67th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXI when the New York Giants defeated the Denver Broncos to win their first league title in 30 years.-Major rule changes:...
, 1987
1987 NFL season
The 1987 NFL season was the 68th regular season of the National Football League. A 24-day players' strike reduced the 16-game season to 15. The games that were scheduled for the third week of the season were canceled, but the games for weeks 4–6 were played with replacement players...
, 1988
1988 NFL season
The 1988 NFL season was the 69th regular season of the National Football League. The Cardinals relocated from St. Louis, Missouri to the Phoenix, Arizona area becoming the Phoenix Cardinals but remained in the NFC East division....
, 1995
1995 NFL season
The 1995 NFL season was the 76th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 30 teams with the addition of the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars...
, 1997
1997 NFL season
The 1997 NFL season was the 78th regular season of the National Football League. The Oilers relocated from Houston, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee...
, and 1998
1998 NFL season
The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League.The Tennessee Oilers moved their home games from Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis to Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, still awaiting construction on a new stadium in Nashville.This was the first season that CBS...
), eight conference championship (1980
1980 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...
, 1983
1983 NFL season
The 1983 NFL season was the 64th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVIII when the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins.-Major rule changes:...
, 1984
1984 NFL season
The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
, 1989
1989 NFL season
The 1989 NFL season was the 70th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle announced his retirement...
, 1990
1990 NFL season
The 1990 NFL season was the 71st regular season of the National Football League. To increase revenue, the league changed the regular season so that all NFL teams would play their 16-game schedule over a 17-week period...
, 1992
1992 NFL season
The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that...
, 1993
1993 NFL season
The 1993 NFL season was the 74th regular season of the National Football League. For the first time in league history, all NFL teams played their 16-game schedule over a span of 18 weeks. After the success of expanding the regular season to a period of 17 weeks in 1990, the league hoped this new...
, and 1996
1996 NFL season
The 1996 NFL season was the 77th regular season of the National Football League and the season was marked by notable controversies from beginning to end...
) playoff games, one 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...
(1978
1978 NFL season
The 1978 NFL season was the 59th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded the regular season from a 14-game schedule to 16. Furthermore, the playoff format was expanded from 8 teams to 10 teams by adding another wild card from each conference...
), and four 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: 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...
, Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1986 regular season. The National Football Conference champion New York Giants won their first Super Bowl by defeating...
, Super Bowl XXVI
Super Bowl XXVI
Super Bowl XXVI was an American football game played on January 26, 1992 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota to decide the National Football League champion following the 1991 regular season...
, and Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX was an American football game played on January 29, 1995 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1994 regular season...
and was an alternate in Super Bowl XIX
Super Bowl XIX
Super Bowl XIX was an American football game played on January 20, 1985 at Stanford Stadium, on the campus of Stanford University in Stanford, California, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1984 regular season...
, Super Bowl 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...
, and Super Bowl 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...
. To date, he is the only NFL head referee to officiate four Super Bowl games.
Until 2008, he wrote a weekly sports column for the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
during the football season.
Career
Markbreit began officiating in intramural college fraternity games 1953, after nearly being seriously injured several times attempting to play college football at the University of IllinoisUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
.
Markbreit began officiating as a career in 1957, when he joined the Central Officials Association, and began working public league and junior varsity games. By the late 1950s, Markbreit was officiating high school games, including several with the teenage Dick Butkus
Dick Butkus
Richard Marvin "Dick" Butkus is a former American football player for the Chicago Bears. He was drafted in 1965 and he is also widely regarded as one of the best and most durable linebackers of all time. Butkus starred as a football player for the University of Illinois and the Chicago Bears. He...
.
Markbreit entered the Big Ten Conference as a back judge at the beginning of 1966 season, and became a referee at the end of the following season. He served as the back judge in the "Game of the Century" on November 19, 1966 between top-ranked Notre Dame and second-ranked Michigan State, and was the referee for the Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
on New Year's Day
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
1972 between Stanford and Michigan.
Just before the beginning of the 1968 football season, Markbreit was offered (and declined) an early job offer from the NFL as a back judge. He felt that his lack of college experience would prevent him from obtaining the referee position in the NFL.
Markbreit joined the NFL as a line judge in 1976, and became a referee in 1977 upon the retirement of long-time referee Tommy Bell
Tommy Bell (American football official)
Tommy Bell was an American football official in the National Football League . He officiated Super Bowl III in 1969 and Super Bowl VII in 1973. He is also the only official in history to referee in both a Super Bowl and NCAA Final Four...
, who was Markbreit's crew chief during the 1976 season. He retired from the field after working a playoff game between the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
and Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on January 9, 1999.
Markbreit is still very much involved in the league, as he served as an instant replay
Instant replay
Instant replay is the replaying of video footage of an event or incident very soon after it has occurred. In television broadcasting of sports events, instant replay is often used during live broadcast, to show a passage of play which was important or remarkable, or which was unclear on first...
official for two years following his retirement as an active official, and currently works as an associate supervisor and head trainer for NFL referees.
His work outside of football has included advertising sales for Where Magazine, and many years as a trade and barter manager for 3M
3M
3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....
.
Woody Hayes confrontation
Markbreit officiated the annual Michigan-Ohio State rivalryMichigan-Ohio State rivalry
The Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry, also known as The Game, is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Wolverines of the University of Michigan and the Buckeyes of The Ohio State University...
game at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
on November 20, 1971.
Late in that game, furious over what he thought was a missed defensive pass interference foul committed by Thom Darden of Michigan, Buckeyes coach Woody Hayes
Woody Hayes
Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Denison University , Miami University , and Ohio State University , compiling a career college football record of 238–72–10.During his 28 seasons as the head coach of the Ohio...
stormed onto the field, launched a profanity-laced tirade at Markbreit, and tore up the sideline markers, receiving a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. A further enraged Hayes then threw the penalty flag into the crowd, began destroying the yard markers and threw the first-down marker into the ground like a javelin before being restrained by Buckeyes team officials; Markbreit then assessed Hayes an additional 15-yard penalty but did not eject him.
On the next play, Markbreit ejected Buckeyes linebacker Randy Gradishar
Randy Gradishar
Randy Charles Gradishar is a former college and professional American football linebacker who played in the 1970s and 1980s. Randy Gradishar is currently the Director of Corporate Communications for the Phil Long Dealerships in Colorado...
after Gradishar punched Wolverine quarterback Tom Slade
Tom Slade
Thomas A. Slade was an American football quarterback who played for the University of Michigan Wolverines football team in 1971.-Saginaw High School:...
through his facemask and started a 10 minute bench-clearing brawl. Hayes and Gradishar were both suspended for one game, and Hayes was also fined $1000.
The Holy Roller
Markbreit officiated the Holy RollerHoly Roller (American football)
In American football, "the Holy Roller" is the nickname given to a controversial game-winning play by the Oakland Raiders against the San Diego Chargers on September 10, 1978. The game was played at the Chargers' home field, Jack Murphy or San Diego Stadium...
play, an infamous, controversial game-winning play executed by the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
against the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 10, 1978. With 10 seconds left in the game, the Raiders had possession of the ball at the Chargers 14-yard line, trailing 20-14. Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler
Ken Stabler
Kenneth "Kenny" Michael Stabler , is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders , the Houston Oilers , and the New Orleans Saints...
lost the ball, and it rolled forward towards the San Diego goal line. Running back Pete Banaszak
Pete Banaszak
Pete Banaszak is a former player of college and professional American football. A running back, he played college football at the University of Miami, and played professionally in the American Football League for the Oakland Raiders from 1966 through 1969, and for the NFL Raiders through...
tried to recover the ball on the 12-yard line, but could not keep his footing, and the ball was pushed even closer to the end zone. Raiders tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
Dave Casper
Dave Casper
David John Casper , nicknamed "The Ghost." is a former American football player. He was an offensive lineman and tight end.-High school:...
was the next player to reach the ball but he also could not get a handle on it. He batted and kicked the ball into the end zone, where he fell on it for the game-tying touchdown as time ran out. The Raiders won, 21-20, with the ensuing extra point by placekicker Errol Mann
Errol Mann
Errol Denis Mann is a former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League from 1968-1978. He was a member of the Oakland Raiders' Super Bowl XI winning team...
.
As referee, Markbreit had the primary responsibility of judging Stabler's actions during the play. Markbreit ruled that Stabler fumbled the ball instead of intentionally throwing a forward pass. Despite the fact that fans continue to believe it should have been called an incomplete pass, the league backed up referee Markbreit's call.
Super Bowl XVII coin toss
Markbreit botched the coin tossCoin flipping
Coin flipping or coin tossing or heads or tails is the practice of throwing a coin in the air to choose between two alternatives, sometimes to resolve a dispute between two parties...
during 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...
. Dolphins captain Bob Kuechenberg
Bob Kuechenberg
Robert John Kuechenberg is a former National Football League offensive lineman for the Miami Dolphins for fourteen seasons between 1970 and 1983, spending the 1984 season on injured reserve...
called "tails," and the coin came down "tails." However, Markbreit became confused by the similar design of both sides of the coin: one side had two helmets and the other side showed two players holding helmets. Thus, he incorrectly thought "heads" had landed. When Markbreit became confused, NBC Sports
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
play-by-play announcer Dick Enberg
Dick Enberg
Richard Alan "Dick" Enberg is an American sportscaster. He currently provides play-by-play for telecasts of San Diego Padres baseball on 4SD, following a long career calling various sports for such networks as NBC, CBS, and ESPN...
ordered his producer to cut off the microphones surrounding midfield and pull away from the tight shot involving Markbreit, Kuechenburg and Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann
Joe Theismann
Joseph Robert "Joe" Theismann is a former quarterback in the National Football League and Canadian Football League . He achieved his most enduring fame in his 12 seasons playing for the Washington Redskins, where he was a two-time Pro Bowler and quarterback of the winning team in Super Bowl XVII...
. After a short discussion with his head linesman, Dale Hamer
Dale Hamer
Dale Hamer was an American football official in the National Football League from 1978 to 2001, with a break taken for health reasons during the 1995 season. During his 23 seasons in the NFL, Hamer was assigned to officiate in two Super Bowls, as a head linesman in Super Bowl XVII and in Super...
, Markbreit corrected his mistake before the kickoff.
Charles Martin and Jim McMahon
On November 23, 1986, Chicago native Markbreit worked as an NFL referee at Soldier FieldSoldier Field
Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...
for the first time when the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
visited to play the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In the second quarter of the game, Bears quarterback Jim McMahon
Jim McMahon
James Robert "Jim" McMahon, Jr. is a former American football player. He played college football at Brigham Young University, where he was a two-time All-American and later in the professional ranks with the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona...
was intercepted, and as he watched the proceedings downfield, Packers defensive end Charles Martin
Charles Martin (football player)
-External links:*...
picked up McMahon and bodyslammed him shoulder-first into the AstroTurf
AstroTurf
AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Although the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short pile synthetic turf while the current products incorporate modern features such as...
. Martin remained hovered over an injured McMahon on one knee and taunted him until Bears offensive tackle Jimbo Covert barreled full-speed into Martin. Despite strenuous protests from Packers coach Forrest Gregg
Forrest Gregg
Alvis Forrest Gregg is a former American football player and coach in the National Football League. During a Pro Football Hall of Fame playing career, he was a part of six championships, five of them with the Green Bay Packers before closing out his tenure with the Dallas Cowboys with a win in...
, Markbreit ejected Martin, Markbreit's first ejection as an NFL official. When describing the penalty, Markbreit stated that Martin "stuffed" McMahon into the ground.
Martin was suspended for two games by NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle
Pete Rozelle
Alvin Ray "Pete" Rozelle was the commissioner of the National Football League from January 1960 to November 1989, when he retired from office. Rozelle is credited with making the NFL into one of the most successful sports leagues in the world....
, the longest suspension for an on-field incident until Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth
Albert Haynesworth
-Tennessee Titans:Haynesworth was elected to the Pro Bowl for the first time for the 2007 NFL season. During this season following the stomping incident, he ranked second on the team with six sacks in his 11 games played up to the selection, led or tied for the team-high in total tackles three...
was suspended five games by commissioner Roger Goodell
Roger Goodell
Roger S. Goodell is the Commissioner of the National Football League , having been chosen to succeed the retiring Paul Tagliabue on August 8, 2006. He was chosen over four finalists for the position, winning a close vote on the fifth ballot before being unanimously approved by acclamation of the...
for stomping on the face of Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
center Andre Gurode
Andre Gurode
-Dallas Cowboys:Gurode was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft as a center.Gurode was selected to help shore up the center position and started fast by becoming the first rookie in club history to start at center on opening day....
during an October 1, 2006 game. During the game, Martin wore a "hit list" towel with the numbers of several Bears listed, including those of McMahon, running back Walter Payton
Walter Payton
Walter Jerry Payton was an American football running back who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League for thirteen seasons. Walter Payton was known around the NFL as "Sweetness". He is remembered as one of the most prolific running backs in the history of American football...
, wide receiver Willie Gault
Willie Gault
Willie James Gault is a former American football wide receiver and Olympic athlete. Gault played in the National Football League for 11 seasons for the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Raiders. He was a member of the Bears team that won Super Bowl XX, and was also a member of the U.S. Olympic team...
, and center Jay Hilgenberg
Jay Hilgenberg
Jay Walter Hilgenberg is a former American football player in the NFL. He played center for the Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns and the New Orleans Saints from 1981 to 1993.-Football career:...
. The call was largely credited by the media and NFL executives in helping Markbreit land the assignment as the referee of Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1986 regular season. The National Football Conference champion New York Giants won their first Super Bowl by defeating...
two months later.
Books by Markbreit
- The Armchair Referee—500 Questions and Answers about Football (ISBN 0-385-08089-1)
- Born to Referee: My Life on the Gridiron (ISBN 0-688-07938-5)
- Last Call: Memoirs of an NFL Referee (ISBN 1-58382-030-2)
Quotes
- "There's no such thing as perfection. Mistakes happen. Officials are so hard on themselves. When they make a mistake, nobody feels worse than they do."
- "I had several big-time mistakes. I felt at the time that it happened, 'Why am I here?' You're heartsick about a call that you made. You want everything to be perfect. But it's not a perfect science. There's nothing perfect."
- "I'm probably the only Jewish man who knows the Catholic mass by heart, both in English and Latin."
External links
- Ask Jerry Markbreit - Markbreit's column for the Chicago TribuneChicago TribuneThe Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
(Last accessed February 25, 2006). - CNN video