Gerald Austin
Encyclopedia
Dr. Gerald "Gerry" Austin (born c. 1941) is a retired American football official, who worked in the National Football League
(NFL) from the 1982 season
through the 2007 season
. He wore uniform number 34, which is now worn by Clete Blakeman
. Austin has officiated in three Super Bowl
s, one as a side judge and two as a referee. He was also notable being the referee in the 1993 AFC Wild Card playoff game between the Houston Oilers and Buffalo Bills
, which would later become known in NFL lore as "The Comeback
" for being the greatest comeback by a team in league history. Austin's 2007 NFL officiating crew consists of Ruben Fowler, Ed Camp, Carl Johnson, Scott Edwards, Alberto Riveron and Bob Lawing.
and master's degree
from Western Carolina University
and has a doctorate
from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
. He is also a retired public school administrator for thirty years. Outside of officiating in the NFL, he is the coordinator of football officials for Conference USA
. He resides in Summerfield, North Carolina
and has six children.
and football
official in the Atlantic Coast Conference
. He was assigned to officiate in the 1978 Liberty Bowl
and the 1977 Orange Bowl.
in 1990 before being promoted to the referee position beginning with the 1990 NFL season
upon the death of referee Dick Jorgensen
, who, coincindentally, was the referee in Super Bowl XXIV. Austin worked his first Super Bowl as a referee in 1997 at Super Bowl XXXI
and his second appearance was at Super Bowl XXXV
in 2001. He served as an alternate referee in 1995 at Super Bowl XXIX
and in 1999 at Super Bowl XXXIII
.
Austin is one of the league's most respected referees as he is a recipient of the Art McNally Award
, which goes to an NFL game official who exhibits exemplary professionalism, leadership and commitment to sportsmanship on and off the field.
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 the 1982 season
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...
through the 2007 season
2007 NFL season
The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30....
. He wore uniform number 34, which is now worn by Clete Blakeman
Clete Blakeman
Clete Blakeman is an official in the National Football League since the 2008 NFL season, wearing uniform number 34. A graduate of the University of Nebraska , he began his American football officiating career in the Big 12 Conference, then moved to the NFL in 2008 as a field judge for the...
. Austin has officiated in 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, one as a side judge and two as a referee. He was also notable being the referee in the 1993 AFC Wild Card playoff game between the Houston Oilers and 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...
, which would later become known in NFL lore as "The Comeback
The Comeback (American football)
The Comeback was a NFL playoff game between the Buffalo Bills and the Houston Oilers played January 3, 1993. It featured the Bills recovering from a 32-point deficit to win in overtime, and it remains the largest comeback in NFL history...
" for being the greatest comeback by a team in league history. Austin's 2007 NFL officiating crew consists of Ruben Fowler, Ed Camp, Carl Johnson, Scott Edwards, Alberto Riveron and Bob Lawing.
Personal
Austin has a bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
and master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
from Western Carolina University
Western Carolina University
Western Carolina University is a coeducational public university located in Cullowhee, North Carolina, United States. The university is a constituent campus of the University of North Carolina system....
and has a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro , also known as UNC Greensboro, is a public university in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States and is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina system. The university offers more than 100 undergraduate, 61 master's and 26...
. He is also a retired public school administrator for thirty years. Outside of officiating in the NFL, he is the coordinator of football officials for Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
. He resides in Summerfield, North Carolina
Summerfield, North Carolina
Summerfield is a town in Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,018 at the 2000 census. The official town limits of Summerfield are entirely located within Guilford County....
and has six children.
Early years
Before joining the NFL, Austin served nine years as a basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and football
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 in the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
. He was assigned to officiate in the 1978 Liberty Bowl
Liberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual U.S. American college football bowl game played in December of each year from 1959 to 2007 and in January in 2009 and 2010. The Liberty Bowl was sponsored by AXA Financial and was known as the AXA Liberty Bowl from 1997 to 2003...
and the 1977 Orange Bowl.
National Football League
Austin began working in the NFL as a side judge where he officiated Super Bowl XXIVSuper Bowl XXIV
Super Bowl XXIV was an American football game played on January 28, 1990 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1989 regular season...
in 1990 before being promoted to the referee position beginning with the 1990 NFL season
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...
upon the death of referee Dick Jorgensen
Dick Jorgensen
Dick Jorgensen was an American football official in the National Football League for 23 years until the conclusion of the 1989 NFL season. Jorgensen's career was highlighted by being selected to referee Super Bowl XXIV in 1990 and was an alternate official in Super Bowl VIII and Super Bowl XV...
, who, coincindentally, was the referee in Super Bowl XXIV. Austin worked his first Super Bowl as a referee in 1997 at Super Bowl XXXI
Super Bowl XXXI
Super Bowl XXXI was an American football game played on January 26, 1997, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1996 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers defeated the American...
and his second appearance was at Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Baltimore Ravens defeated the National Football Conference champion New York...
in 2001. He served as an alternate referee in 1995 at 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 in 1999 at Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII was an American football game played on January 31, 1999, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion, following the 1998 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football...
.
Austin is one of the league's most respected referees as he is a recipient of the Art McNally Award
Art McNally Award
The 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...
, which goes to an NFL game official who exhibits exemplary professionalism, leadership and commitment to sportsmanship on and off the field.