Bill Leavy, a longtime NFL official who officiated Super Bowls XXXIV between the then-St. Louis Rams and Tennessee Titans and XL between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks, has passed away.
Leavy died on Tuesday at the age of 76.
His death was announced by Cameron Filipe and Ben Austro of Footballzebras.com.
“Officiating coordinator Bill Leavy, who officiated in the NFL for 20 seasons at both the back judge and referee positions, died Tuesday three days after his 76th birthday,” the report said. “A two-time Super Bowl official, Leavy retired after the 2014 season to take a supervisory role with the officiating department and remained in that role until his death. No details were immediately available, however Football Zebras confirmed his passing with several sources.”
Rip Bill https://t.co/oFd3ZR4PFB
— ADAm Pacman Jones (@REALPACMAN24) March 30, 2023
Former #NFL referee Bill Leavy died last night at the age of 76, per @footballzebras.
Leavy reffed in two Super Bowls and served as an #NFL officiating supervisor for the last 8 years. He was also a retired San Jose, California police officer, and firefighter, serving for 27… pic.twitter.com/uj1wz6rmgw
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) March 29, 2023
Oh man. Seahawks fans know Leavy well. Glad he was able to address the calls in SB XL. Sorry to hear this news https://t.co/UsTHgyZiNO
— Dave “Softy” Mahler (@Softykjr) March 29, 2023
— Chad Johnson (@ochocinco) March 30, 2023
Leavy’s colleagues also paid tribute to him.
“Bill was one of the great men in our profession and was liked by everyone and respected by every coach. He will be sorely missed,” Steve Wilson, a retired NFL umpire, said in a statement to Football Zebras
Senior vice president of officiating Walt Anderson also issued a statement to Football Zebras and echoed that sentiment.
“We are saddened to learn of the passing of Bill Leavy, a longtime NFL referee and a current member of the league’s officiating staff. Bill was an outstanding official and an even better man. Always kind and thoughtful, Bill was instrumental in mentoring countless young officials throughout his career. His recognition as an Art McNally Award winner highlights that selfless dedication to officiating. His integrity earned him respect at every step of his football journey and the entire officiating community mourns his loss.”
