Armen Terzian
Encyclopedia
Armen Terzian was a U.S. American football
official
in the NFL
from 1961 to 1981. He was a field judge and wore uniform number 23, which was later worn by two African-American referees: Johnny Grier
and, currently, Jerome Boger
. He officiated Super Bowl XI
, but Terzian is most remembered from an NFC Divisional Playoff game in 1975 at Metropolitan Stadium
between the Minnesota Vikings
and the Dallas Cowboys
, in which he didn't call an offensive pass interference penalty against Cowboy wide receiver Drew Pearson
after there was contact between him and Viking cornerback Nate Wright
, who fell. Minutes after Pearson scored the winning touchdown in the final seconds, an angry fan threw a whiskey bottle that hit Terzian in the back of the head, rendering him momentarily unconscious. He did not require stitches, but had to wear a large white bandage around his forehead for the final few seconds remaining in the game. According to Jerry Bergman, one of the officials working the game, said "The substitute official came in after the kickoff and got $5,500 for working 11 seconds." http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?Category=17&ID=202145&r=10
Terzian also became infamous by an NFL Films video that highlighted the league's best-ever coaches in 1981. During a segment that features coaches wired for sound, Marv Levy
, then coaching the Kansas City Chiefs
, screams, "Hey Armen! Hey you over-officious jerk!" at Terzian during a game against the Buffalo Bills
in 1978. The game was played at Rich Stadium
, the same stadium where Levy would go on to a Pro Football Hall of Fame
career as the Bills' coach from 1986-97, leading the once woebegone Bills to four consecutive (losing) Super Bowl
appearances.
Another non-call ended Armen Terzian's career in the NFL, this time as a replay booth official in a 1988 game between the New York Giants
and Dallas Cowboys. Terzian failed to review a play where the on-field officials had erroneously awarded a safety to the New York Giants. Terzian's mistake provided the margin of victory, as the Giants defeated the Cowboys by a score of 12-10. NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle
suspended Terzian for two games following the error, but Terzian chose to resign.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
official
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 NFL
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...
from 1961 to 1981. He was a field judge and wore uniform number 23, which was later worn by two African-American referees: Johnny Grier
Johnny Grier
Johnny Grier was an American football official for 23 years in the National Football League from 1981 to 2004. He began in the NFL as a field judge before becoming the first African-American referee in the history of the NFL with the start of the 1988 NFL season...
and, currently, Jerome Boger
Jerome Boger
Jerome Boger is an American football official in the National Football League since the 2004 NFL season. He wears uniform number 23 since 2006; before that, he wore uniform number 109. He started in the league as a line judge and was promoted to referee in 2006 after two seasons...
. He officiated Super Bowl XI
Super Bowl XI
Super Bowl XI was a football game played on January 9, 1977 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1976 regular season...
, but Terzian is most remembered from an NFC Divisional Playoff game in 1975 at Metropolitan Stadium
Metropolitan Stadium
Metropolitan Stadium was a sports stadium that once stood in Bloomington, Minnesota, just outside Minneapolis. The area where the stadium once stood is now the site of the Mall of America...
between the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
and the 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...
, in which he didn't call an offensive pass interference penalty against Cowboy wide receiver Drew Pearson
Drew Pearson (American football)
Drew Pearson is a sportscaster and former American football wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League.-Early years:...
after there was contact between him and Viking cornerback Nate Wright
Nate Wright
-Professional career:Wright earned All-Pro honors at defensive back in 1974 and 1976. His career consisted mostly of time as a defensive back with the great Minnesota Vikings teams of the 1970s...
, who fell. Minutes after Pearson scored the winning touchdown in the final seconds, an angry fan threw a whiskey bottle that hit Terzian in the back of the head, rendering him momentarily unconscious. He did not require stitches, but had to wear a large white bandage around his forehead for the final few seconds remaining in the game. According to Jerry Bergman, one of the officials working the game, said "The substitute official came in after the kickoff and got $5,500 for working 11 seconds." http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?Category=17&ID=202145&r=10
Terzian also became infamous by an NFL Films video that highlighted the league's best-ever coaches in 1981. During a segment that features coaches wired for sound, Marv Levy
Marv Levy
Marvin Daniel Levy is a former American and Canadian football coach, front office executive and author.He is a former professional football coach, in the CFL as head coach of the Montreal Alouettes , and in the NFL as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills , coaching the Bills...
, then coaching the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
, screams, "Hey Armen! Hey you over-officious jerk!" at Terzian during a game against the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1978. The game was played at Rich Stadium
Ralph Wilson Stadium
Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL...
, the same stadium where Levy would go on to a Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
career as the Bills' coach from 1986-97, leading the once woebegone Bills to four consecutive (losing) 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...
appearances.
Another non-call ended Armen Terzian's career in the NFL, this time as a replay booth official in a 1988 game between the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Dallas Cowboys. Terzian failed to review a play where the on-field officials had erroneously awarded a safety to the New York Giants. Terzian's mistake provided the margin of victory, as the Giants defeated the Cowboys by a score of 12-10. 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....
suspended Terzian for two games following the error, but Terzian chose to resign.
External links
- http://www.vikingupdate.com/history/historyprofiles/hailmarydall.html
- http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE7D9123FF934A35753C1A96E948260
- http://www.cowboysplus.com/classic/webspecials/hailmary/1228hurtofficialsider.html
- http://www.cowboysplus.com/classic/webspecials/hailmary/1228hailmarynotebook.html