“RIP Legend”: Johnny Grier, the NFL’s first Black referee dies at 74
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Johnny Grier
Born on April 16, 1947, Johnny Grier was an absolute legend of the game. He officiated in the NFL for as long as 23 years. Initially, Grier started off in the NFL as a field judge and then went on to become the first-ever African-American referee in the history of the league.
With the start of the 1988 NFL season, Grier started his journey as a referee which eventually opened the path for many others. In fact, he started officiating football when he was just 18 years old. Unfortunately, Johnny breathed his last at 74 years of age on March 8, 2022.
“Grier paved the way for those in NFL Officiating and beyond”: Troy Vincent
In the NFL games, Johnny officiated from 1981 to 2004. He also served as a field judge in Super Bowl XXII. Troy Vincent, the executive vice president of football operations in the NFL confirmed the news on Wednesday.
“Johnny Grier, the NFL’s first Black referee and the field judge for Super Bowl XXII, was a trailblazer who paved the way for those in the field of NFL Officiating and beyond,” Vincent tweeted.
Grier was stationed in Louisiana with the Air Force when he first started officiating football games. He made a name for himself by doing an excellent job at the high school and college level before he eventually made his way to the NFL. The man’s absence will be felt forever, however, his incredible legacy will continue to live on.
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Shubham Bhargava
(1813 Articles Published)