Behind The ScenesNFL

Gerry Austin, ESPN’s MNF Rules Consultant, on what it’s like to make calls in three Super Bowls

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3bUXT3uAB4&w=615&h=390]

Former NFL official Gerry Austin, who just completed his first season as ESPN’s Monday Night Football Rules Consultant, is no stranger to Super Bowl games in New Orleans.

Austin worked for the NFL from 1982-2007. During that 25-year span, he was a part of three officiating crews that called the Super Bowl, two of which were played at the Superdome, site of this weekend’s Ravens-49ers game.

ESPN

Austin was a side judge for Super Bowl XXIV (San Francisco versus Denver) and the referee for Super Bowl XXXI (Green Bay versus New England).

In the video above, Austin describes how his days leading up to the game were spent studying film, attending the Commissioner’s news conference and investing considerable time practicing the coin toss. He also shares advice on how officials should approach the special assignment of working the Super Bowl.

In addition to the two games in The Big Easy, Austin also “wore the white hat” at Super Bowl XXXV in Tampa, Fla. — the last time the Ravens were in the NFL title game, when current ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer quarterbacked Baltimore to a victory over the New York Giants.

Video produced by Tonya Malinowski

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