Some background on the man, the myth, the sonofabitch, Bill Vinovich III.
Bill Vinovich III is an
American football official in the
National Football League (NFL) from
2001 to
2006 and since
2012, as well as a
college basketball official.
He was born in
Beaver County, Pennsylvania. His family moved to
California. He played football through four years of college, transitioning to officiating upon his magna cum laude graduation in 1983 from the University of San Diego with a bachelor's degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting.
[1]
Officiating career
Vinovich began his career in the NFL as a side judge on the officiating crew headed by referees
Dick Hantak (2001) and
Ed Hochuli (
2002–
2003)
[2] before being promoted to referee for the start of the
2004 NFL season after former referee
Ron Blum returned to his original position of line judge. In the NFL, he wears uniform number 52.
As a college basketball official, Vinovich officiated a first round contest between
Virginia Tech and
Illinois in the
2007 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament on March 16, 2007.
Due to a heart condition, Bill Vinovich retired from field duty prior to the 2007 season, to serve as the replay official for
Ed Hochuli. He was replaced as a referee by former side judge
John Parry.
In 2012, doctors gave Vinovich a clean bill of health, and he returned for the
2012 NFL season as a substitute official, working several games during the season. His first game back since 2006 was on October 14, 2012, heading
Scott Green's crew in
Philadelphia.
[3]
He was the referee of
Super Bowl XLIX, played on February 1, 2015, at the
University of Phoenix Stadium in
Glendale, Arizona.
[4] Before that, he was the alternate referee of
Super Bowl XLVII, which was played in
New Orleans on February 3, 2013. In addition, Vinovich has officiated eight other post-season games, including two conference championship games (2002 and 2015), four divisional playoff games (2003, 2012, 2014 and 2017), and two wild card playoff games (2006 and 2013).
[5]
Vinovich's 2018 NFL officiating crew consists of umpire Bruce Stritesky, down judge
Phil McKinnely, line judge Mark Perlman, field judge Mearl Robinson, side judge Gary Cavaletto, and back judge Steve Patrick.
[6]
Personal life
Outside his officiating career, Vinovich works as a certified public
accountant.
[7]
It turns out he is a CPA with a heart condition. Hmmm...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Vinovich