NFL referee Carl Cheffers at the Super Bowl in 2017

Super Bowl ref salaries: How much do Super Bowl referees make?

The Super Bowl referee for this year's game was announced last week. Also, five of the eight officials set to monitor the upcoming matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles have prior experience in managing the big game.

Given that the Super Bowl is a massive event, fans have been curious to learn how much referees make for officiating the contest. Interestingly, referees are paid a flat rate of their salary, but the playoff games offer them lucrative bonuses.

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While the actual salaries for NFL referees have not been revealed, reports claim that they earn around $205,000 per year. Experienced officials could make up to a reported $250,000 annually.

For playoff games, referees are paid between $1,500-$5,000 for each match they supervise. However, the bonuses for officiating a Super Bowl game can rise up to $40,000-$50,000.

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The difference in bonuses is because the Super Bowl is the final and biggest game of the season.

Who is the 2023 Super Bowl referee for the Chiefs vs. Eagles

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Carl Cheffers will be the Super Bowl referee this year

The 2023 Super Bowl referee and the officials for the big game on Sunday, February 12 are listed below:

  • Referee: Carl Cheffers
  • Umpire: Roy Ellison
  • Down Judge: Jerod Phillips
  • Line Judge: Jeff Bergman
  • Field Judge: John Jenkins
  • Side Judge: Eugene Hall
  • Back Judge: Dino Paganelli
  • Replay Official: Mark Butterworth

Cheffers already has experience refereeing two Super Bowl games (LIV and LII) in the past. Even Ellison, Bergman, Hall and Paganelli have also supervised two Super Bowl games each.

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How are referees chosen for the Super Bowl?

Since the Super Bowl is one of the most prestigious sporting events in the country, only the best referees over the course of the season will officiate in the game.

The highest-rated NFL referees at each position are selected to work the Super Bowl. They are determined by the league using an evaluation system to grade each official's calls during the season.

Moreover, only officials who have worked in the league for at least five years and have previously worked during postseason games are eligible to officiate in a Super Bowl.

An official with less than five years of service in the league is not eligible to be a Super Bowl referee.

The Kansas City Chiefs will square off against the Philadelphia Eagles in this year's Super Bowl. It promises to be a blockbuster event between two of the best teams from their respective conferences.

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The Chiefs beat the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship game on Sunday while the Eagles trounced the San Francisco 49ers in their NFC title game.

The Eagles and Chiefs will lock horns at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The 2023 Super Bowl will be broadcast live on FOX with the game commencing at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Do referees get an award for participating in the Super Bowl?

The Super Bowl is the pinnacle of the sport. While NFL referees, don't receive any seperate award for officiting the game, they can receive a bonus between $40,000-$50,000 from the event if they are picked to officiate.

Do NFL referees get fined for bad calls?

While NFL referees aren't fined for botched call, they do get written up, even when it comes to the Super Bowl. At the end of each game, every referee is evaluated by senior non-field referees.

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Edited by
Rajdeep Barman
 
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