First all-Black crew officiate an NFL contest

LOS ANGELES: Referee Jerome Boger and his six-man crew made history during Monday night’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Los Angeles Rams game by becoming the first all-Black crew to officiate a National Football League contest.

The officiating crew came into the game with impressive credentials, especially 17-year veteran Boger who is the third Black referee in NFL history. He was promoted from line judge in 2006. “I am proud of my heritage and excited about my participation in this historic game,” Boger said during the build up to the game.

Boger was joined by: Barry Anderson, umpire, 14-year official; Anthony Jeffries, side judge, three-year official; Carl Johnson, line judge, 17-year official, Julian Mapp, down judge, 12-year official; Dale Shaw, field judge, eight-year official; and Greg Steed, back judge, 18-year official. Rams quarterback Jared Goff connected on a four yard touchdown pass with Robert Woods with just under four minutes left in the first quarter for the first touchdown called by the all-Black crew. The Rams went on to win the game 27-24.

“This historic Week 11 crew is a testament to the countless and immeasurable contributions of Black officials to the game, their exemplary performance, and to the power of inclusion that is the hallmark of this great game,” Troy Vincent, the league’s VP of football operations, said. Anderson, Mapp, Shaw and Jeffries have worked numerous times before with Boger. Boger was the referee for Super Bowl XLVII, and Anderson, Johnson and Steed were part of the Super Bowl LIV officiating crew.