“Rest in Peace, Bill”: 76-Year-Old Referee Who Once Apologized for Super Bowl XL Mistake Passes Away

In the NFL, officials hold a respectable position as the players in the game. In any sport, for that matter, officials function as the backbone of the games on the field, as they help in the smooth flow and fair play of the game on the playing field. The NFL world recently witnessed another heartbreaking loss, a loss in the backbone of the structure of the games on the NFL field. He served as the referee in two Super Bowls during his career before retiring in 2014. Despite being criticized for the mistakes he made while officiating one of the biggest games in the league, his loss is considered a black day in the NFL league.

Being one of the oldest serving referees in the NFL, 76-year-old Bill Leavy breathed his last on this earth on Tuesday.

Bill Leavy passes away at 76 years old

On Tuesday, former NFL referee Bill Leavy left for his heavenly abode at the age of 76. Born on March 25, 1947, Leavy spent 20 years in the NFL as a referee and a back judge. He joined the NFL as a referee in 1995. After such a long career as an official of the NFL, the former referee retired in 2014. Post his retirement, Bill Leavy had taken up a supervisory role in the officiating department of the league.

When the former referee had officiated the Super Bowl XL between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks, Leavy came under a lot of criticism from the NFL world because of his poor performance as an official. Leavy had publicly admitted his mistakes while officiating the game, leading to many match-changing moments as the Steelers went on to clinch the trophy. Leavy publicly apologized for two late stretch calls that worked in favor of the Steelers during the Super Bowl XL game.

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Despite the criticism faced by the veteran referee, Leavy has left behind a legacy in terms of officiating in the NFL.

Leavy leaves behind his officiating career as a remembrance

Bill Leavy was an outstanding official and a good man. He has mentored many junior officials in the NFL throughout his career. After working as a back judge during the Super Bowl XXXIV between the Los Angeles Rams and the Tennessee Titans, they promoted him to the position of a referee the very next year. Apart from this, Leavy was awarded the prestigious Art McNally award in 2019 for demonstrating exceptional leadership and commitment to sportsmanship both on and off the field.

As the NFL world mourns the loss of Bill Leavy, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends as they cope with the loss of their loved one.

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