Gerry Austin | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gerald Austin December 4, 1941 |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) |
NFL
official (1982–2007) Supervisor of Officials, C-USA |
| Spouse | Married [1] |
| Children | 6 [1] |
Gerald Austin (born December 4, 1941) [1] is a former American football official, who worked in the National Football League (NFL) from the 1982 season through the 2007 season. [2] He wore uniform number 34, which is now worn by Clete Blakeman. Austin has officiated in three Super Bowls, one as a side judge and two as a referee. [2] He was also notable being the referee in the 1993 AFC Wild Card playoff game between the Houston Oilers and Buffalo Bills, which would later become known in NFL lore as " The Comeback" for being the greatest comeback by a team in league history. Austin's 2007 NFL officiating crew consisted of Ruben Fowler, Ed Camp, Carl Johnson, Scott Edwards, Alberto Riveron and Bob Lawing. [3]
Personal
Austin has a bachelor's degree and master's degree from Western Carolina University and has a doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. [4] He is also a retired public school administrator for thirty years. [5] Outside of officiating in the NFL, he is the coordinator of football officials for Conference USA. [5] He resides in Summerfield, North Carolina and has six children. [1]
Officiating career
Early years
Before joining the NFL, Austin served nine years as a basketball and football official in the Atlantic Coast Conference. [5] He was assigned to officiate in the 1978 Liberty Bowl and the 1977 Orange Bowl.
National Football League
Austin began working in the NFL as a side judge, where he officiated Super Bowl XXIV at New Orleans in 1990. He was promoted to the referee position beginning with the 1990 NFL season after Dick Jorgensen's death; Austin had served as a member of Jorgensen's crew in the Super Bowl at the end of the previous season. Austin worked his first Super Bowl as a referee in 1997 at Super Bowl XXXI (also in New Orleans) and his second appearance was at Super Bowl XXXV in 2001. [2] He served as an alternate referee in 1995 at Super Bowl XXIX [6] and in 1999 at Super Bowl XXXIII. [7]
Austin is one of the league's most respected referees as he is a recipient of the Art McNally Award, which goes to an NFL game official who exhibits exemplary professionalism, leadership and commitment to sportsmanship on and off the field. [5]
Post-officiating career
Since retiring, Austin has contributed to ESPN broadcasts regarding the performance of officials. [8]
References
- ^ a b c d "NFL ref. still enjoying role of a little boy". Greensboro News & Record. May 20, 2007. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved June 4, 2007.
- ^ a b c Hass, Bill (February 19, 2001). "MAN IN MOTION: REFEREE MAKES SUPER CALLS". Greensboro News & Record. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved September 3, 2007.
- ^ "National Football League Game Summary: Miami Dolphins At New Orleans Saints" (PDF). National Football League. August 30, 2007. Retrieved September 3, 2007.
- ^ "Gerald Austin". Football Officials Camps. Archived from the original on June 20, 2007. Retrieved September 3, 2007.
- ^ a b c d "Gerald Austin". North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved September 3, 2007.
- ^ "Super Bowl XXIX Boxscore". Retrieved September 3, 2007.
- ^ "Kukar Named Game's Referee". The New York Times. January 29, 1999. Retrieved September 3, 2007 – via Bloomberg News.
- ^ "Summerfield's Gerald Austin to join ESPN's Monday Night Football". News-Record.com: Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis. Archived from the original on September 8, 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2012.