Carl Cheffers Named Referee For Super Bowl LI Between Patriots And Falcons
BOSTON (CBS) -- Carl Cheffers has been named the referee for Super Bowl LI in Houston between the Patriots and Atlanta Falcons, ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted on Wednesday.
Cheffers served as a side judge or umpire in NFL games from 2000-2007 before becoming a referee in 2008. His first career game as an NFL referee was between the Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs on Sep. 7, 2008, better known as the game where Tom Brady tore his ACL and missed the rest of the season.
The Super Bowl will mark the first Patriots game officiated by Cheffers since the 2015 regular season opener against the Steelers. The Patriots are 6-2 in eight games officiated by Cheffers since the start of the 2008 season.
Super Bowl LI marks the fourth playoff game of Cheffers' career as a referee and his first Super Bowl. Cheffers' last game was the 2016 AFC Divisional Playoff between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.