NFL makes it official, Jerome Boger will referee Super Bowl XLVII

The NFL made official what has been the worst-kept secret for Super Bowl XLVII – Jerome Boger will be the referee for the game.

The league announced Boger will lead a seven-man crew of officials for Sunday’s championship game in New Orleans. It is the first Super Bowl for Boger, who is in his ninth NFL season and has worked four previous postseason games.

Boger’s selection for the game has drawn widespread criticism with claims that his grades, maintained by the NFL office, were padded throughout the course of the season to ensure he was selected for the game. Sam Borden of the New York Times detailed the situation right here.

“There is no merit to the suggestion that Jerome Boger’s grades were treated differently from those of any other official,” NFL spokesman Michael Signora said. “Claims to the contrary are both inaccurate and unfair.”

Umpire Darrell Jenkins, head linesman Steve Stelljes, line judge Byron Boston, field judge Craig Wrolstad, side judge Joe Larrew and back judge Dino Paganelli round out the crew. Bill Spyksma will serve as the replay official and the replay assistant is Terry Sullivan.

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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune