Bill Vinovich became notorious for his dubious play-calling back the Super Bowl LIV. The referee, who also ran things for the infamous NFC title game in January 2019, is appointed yet again to officiate the Super Bowl LVIII. This is like a déjà vu moment for the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. The Chiefs upset the Niners with a final score of 31-20.

Vinovich’s official crew was responsible for what’s remembered as the “worst blown call in NFL history.” Ahead of this monumental event, we look at Bill Vinovich through a more human lens in an attempt to know more about his personal life.

At some point in his life, the NFL referee had debilitated health conditions and had about a 2% chance of surviving. Thanks to efforts from his wife, Jeanette Vinovich, and his family, he’s up and running. There aren’t a lot of details available on the couple. The couple has been reportedly married for over 3 decades.

They share two children – William Vinovich IV and Shawna Vinovich. Jeanette is a homemaker and doesn’t like to share bits about her private life with the media. The referee’s daughter is a lawyer, and his son is a financial analyst. The son’s decision to join the financial sector might have come from the father himself.

Bill Vinovich is a Certified Public Accountant and started working with KPMG after he graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in Business Administration. What’s more interesting is that he played football professionally in college and transitioned to officiating after he completed his degree. In 1994, he found his first gig in the Canadian Football League. Later down the line, he found himself officiating the Arena Football League and refereed in Arena Bowl XIV in 2000.

His career picked up after that point as he was appointed by the NFL in 2001 as a side judge. Since then, he got to a point where he officiated in 3 Super Bowls, and a handful of postseason games. However, his officiating in Super Bowl 54 was one of the most notable ones.

How Bill Vinovich botched the Super Bowl LIV

As the Super Bowl neared, old painful memories started to resurface on X. People were quick to remind everyone how he didn’t fail to penalize the Kansas City Chiefs for holding Nick Bosa in the last quarter of the Super Bowl 54. In the same game, he ruled out George Kittle’s 40+ yard catch for an “offensive pass interference”.

The same thing happened in the Vikings vs. Saints NFC Championship. The game-winning touchdown catch from the Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph wasn’t called out. Ironically, the circumstances were the same. Fans started questioning his decision-making, and he ended up garnering a negative spotlight.

Trending

Jerry Jones Trusts Trey Lance to Succeed Dak Prescott as Dallas Cowboys Prepare to Move On From Veteran Stars

April 28, 2024 12:00 PM EDT

“Trying to Mourn…”: After Brother’s Death, Brenden Rice Admits Falling 4 Rounds in the NFL Draft as Chargers Draft Jerry Rice’s Son

April 28, 2024 11:50 AM EDT

Big Day in Wilson Family as Ciara & Russell Wilson Celebrate Daughter Sienna’s Birthday

April 29, 2024 02:44 AM EDT

“Very Disturbing”: Ex Wife Pilar Sanders Reprimands Coach Prime for “Stupid” Take on Shelomi’s Transfer Portal Decision

April 26, 2024 12:28 PM EDT

Despite Ongoing Feud With Coach Prime, Ex Wife Pilar Sanders Hypes Up Colorado Buffs Ahead of Spring Game

April 27, 2024 04:51 PM EDT

Get instantly notified of the hottest NFL stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

But again, NFL rules are clear – officials are judged on the numerical grades and are assigned an accuracy percentage at the season’s end. Then there are qualitative grades that take into consideration their mechanics – fitness, appearance, and professionalism. For the league, Vinovich ticked the criteria.

Since the officials in black-and-white uniforms have a charge of making sure chaos is kept to a minimum, one can hope that Bill Vinovich would live up to the code in Super Bowl 58 at the Allegiant Stadium.

Keep reading for more interesting stories about NFL’s men-at-work.

Watch This Story: Coach Prime Deion Sanders’s coaching conundrum deepens with Colorado football quality control analysts’ promotion