Johnny Grier
Encyclopedia
Johnny Grier was an American football official for 23 years in the National Football League
(NFL) 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
. Grier has officiated in one Super Bowl
, Super Bowl XXII
in 1988, which was his last game as a field judge and the same game in which Doug Williams became the first African-American quarterback
to win the Super Bowl
. On the field, he wore uniform number 23, which is now worn by Jerome Boger
, another African-American referee.
Grier attended college at the University of the District of Columbia
.
Grier began officiating football at age 18 and started as a high school
football
official in 1965, later moved on to college football
in 1972, and eventually the NFL in 1981. His career ended abruptly during the 2004 NFL season
when he was forced to retire due to a leg injury suffered during a series of games. He was replaced by the back judge on his crew, Scott Green
, who had previous experience as a referee in NFL Europe
.
Grier now serves as an officiating supervisor for the NFL and previously served as Supervisor of Football Officials for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
(MEAC).
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 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
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....
. Grier has officiated in one 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...
, 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...
in 1988, which was his last game as a field judge and the same game in which Doug Williams became the first African-American quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
to win the 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...
. On the field, he wore uniform number 23, which is now worn by 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...
, another African-American referee.
Grier attended college at the University of the District of Columbia
University of the District of Columbia
The University of the District of Columbia is a historically black, public university located in Washington, D.C. UDC is one of only a few urban land-grant universities in the country and a member of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund...
.
Grier began officiating football at age 18 and started as a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
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 1965, later moved on to 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...
in 1972, and eventually the NFL in 1981. His career ended abruptly during the 2004 NFL season
2004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
when he was forced to retire due to a leg injury suffered during a series of games. He was replaced by the back judge on his crew, Scott Green
Scott Green (American football official)
Scott H. Green is an American football official in the National Football League since the 1991 NFL season. He has officiated Super Bowls XXXVI in 2002, XXXVIII in 2004, and was the referee for XLIV in 2010....
, who had previous experience as a referee in NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
.
Grier now serves as an officiating supervisor for the NFL and previously served as Supervisor of Football Officials for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference is a collegiate athletic conference of historically black colleges and universities in the Southeastern United States...
(MEAC).