First all-Black NFL officiating crew to work Monday night
The NFL logo is seen on the side of the NFL Network building in Culver City, a westside neighborhood of Los Angeles on August 24, 2020. – A rash of COVID-19 results that forced multiple NFL teams to adjust their weekend training plans were false positives due to “isolated contamination during test preparation,” the lab responsible said August 24, 2020. (Photo by Chris DELMAS / AFP) (Photo by CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images)
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TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) — For the first time in NFL history, an all-Black officiating crew will work next Monday night’s game between the Los Angeles Rams and Buccaneers in Tampa.
Referee Jerome Boger will lead the historic crew, which includes umpire Barry Anderson, down judge Julian Mapp, line judge Carl Johnson, side judge Dale Shaw, field judge Anthony Jeffries and back judge Greg Steed.
“This historic Week 11 crew is a testament to the countless and immeasurable contributions of Black officials to the game, their exemplary performance, and to the power of inclusion that is the hallmark of this great game,” NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent said.
The NFL normally assembles its 17 officiating crews prior to the season and works to keep them together in order to promote teamwork and communication. The crews were organized geographically this year to reduce travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.
All of the officials for the Monday night game are regular members of Boger’s crew except for Johnson and Steed, who were pulled from other crews.
