Bill Leavy
Encyclopedia
Bill Leavy is an American football official in the National Football League
(NFL) since 1995 and is a retired San Jose, California
Police Officer and Firefighter, serving for 27 years. As of the 2006 NFL season
, Leavy has been assigned to nine playoff games and two Super Bowls in his NFL officiating career. He was selected as a back judge on the Super Bowl XXXIV
officiating crew in 2000 and most recently headed up the Super Bowl XL
officiating crew as referee in 2006. He wears uniform number 127. Leavy's 2011 NFL officiating crew consists of umpire Darrell Jenkins, head linesman George Hayward, line judge Mark Perlman
, field judge Jim Quirk, side judge Keith Parham and back judge Keith Ferguson. Leavy is most commonly recognized for having admitted to blowing controversial calls in the Pittsburgh Steelers
favor in Super Bowl
XL.
in Santa Barbara, California
and a 1970 graduate of San Jose State University
in San Jose, California where he earned a degree in law enforcement
. Just before earning his degree, he joined the San Jose Police Department in September 1969. During his high school and college years, Leavy's athletic interests included swimming
and football.
As a member of the San Jose Police Athletic League
(PAL), he was introduced to football officiating by a fellow PAL officer, who was a high school football official. Between the 1970s and 1984, Leavy worked several all-star, playoff, championship games at the high school
and junior college
levels.
, a Division I college conference, in 1984. During his 11 seasons in Division I football, he worked four college bowl game
s (Independence
, Freedom
, California
and Las Vegas
).
, that he was selected as one of 12 finalists for open positions beginning with the 1995 NFL season
. On March 27, 1995, Leavy was hired by the league as a field judge. Leavy's first game was a pre-season matchup between the Dallas Cowboys
and Buffalo Bills
at Texas Stadium
. For seven seasons, Leavy worked as a field judge and later as a back judge, when the league swapped position names in 1998, before being promoted to referee for the 2001 NFL season
. This opportunity at the referee position became available as a result of Phil Luckett
returning to his original back judge position due to the time commitment that is involved to be a successful crew chief.
Outside of the NFL, Leavy was hired in 1998 as the Coordinator of Football Officials for the Western Athletic Conference
and was appointed Coordinator of Football Officials for the Mountain West Conference
in 1999.
, at a team rally on February 6 at Qwest Field
, criticized the officials as he felt they assisted the Pittsburgh Steelers
in winning the Super Bowl saying, "We knew it was going to be tough going against the Pittsburgh Steelers. I didn't know we were going to have to play the guys in the striped shirts as well." The NFL did not fine Holmgren for the remarks.
In response to the criticisms leveled at the officials, the NFL, just two days after the game, released a statement defending the officials' performance. "The game was properly officiated, including, as in most NFL games, some tight plays that produced disagreement about the calls made by the officials," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in a statement.
Mike Pereira
, Supervisor of Officials, appeared on the NFL Network
show, Total Access, stating that the calls were correct with the exception of the penalty called against Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck
for an illegal low block in the fourth quarter.
On August 6, 2010, while visiting the Seahawks' preseason training camp for an annual rules interpretation session with the Seattle media, Leavy brought up Super Bowl XL without being asked:
He never mentioned specifically on which calls he made mistakes.
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) since 1995 and is a retired San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
Police Officer and Firefighter, serving for 27 years. As of the 2006 NFL season
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
, Leavy has been assigned to nine playoff games and two Super Bowls in his NFL officiating career. He was selected as a back judge on the Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV featured the National Football Conference champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference champion Tennessee Titans in an American football game to decide the National Football League champion for the 1999 regular season...
officiating crew in 2000 and most recently headed up the Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
officiating crew as referee in 2006. He wears uniform number 127. Leavy's 2011 NFL officiating crew consists of umpire Darrell Jenkins, head linesman George Hayward, line judge Mark Perlman
Mark Perlman
Mark Perlman is an American football official in the National Football League since the 2000 NFL season. He is a line judge and wears uniform number 9, which was also worn by legendary referee Jerry Markbreit from 1976 to 1999, who, ironically, started in the league as a line judge...
, field judge Jim Quirk, side judge Keith Parham and back judge Keith Ferguson. Leavy is most commonly recognized for having admitted to blowing controversial calls in the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
favor in Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
XL.
Early years
Leavy is a 1965 graduate of Santa Barbara High SchoolSanta Barbara High School
Santa Barbara High School, "Home of the Dons," is situated on a beautiful campus in, Santa Barbara, California and is part of the Santa Barbara School Districts. One of the oldest high schools in California, it was established in 1875, and moved to its current site in 1924...
in Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
and a 1970 graduate of San Jose State University
San José State University
San Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
in San Jose, California where he earned a degree in law enforcement
Code Enforcement
Code enforcement, sometimes encompassing law enforcement, is the act of enforcing a set of rules, principles, or laws and insuring observance of a system of norms or customs. An authority usually enforces a civil code, a set of rules, or a body of laws and compel those subject to their authority...
. Just before earning his degree, he joined the San Jose Police Department in September 1969. During his high school and college years, Leavy's athletic interests included swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and football.
As a member of the San Jose Police Athletic League
Police Athletic League
The Police Athletic League is an organization in many American police departments in which members of the police force coach young people, both boys and girls, in sports, and help with homework and other school-related activities. The purpose is to build character, help strengthen police-community...
(PAL), he was introduced to football officiating by a fellow PAL officer, who was a high school football official. Between the 1970s and 1984, Leavy worked several all-star, playoff, championship games at the high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
and junior college
Junior college
The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries.-India:In India, most states provide schooling through 12th grade...
levels.
Early years
Leavy joined the Big West ConferenceBig West Conference
The Big West Conference is an NCAA-affiliated Division I mid-major college athletic conference. When the conference began in 1969, its name was the Pacific Coast Athletic Association . After nineteen years, in 1988, its name was changed to the Big West Conference. The conference stopped...
, a Division I college conference, in 1984. During his 11 seasons in Division I football, he worked four college bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
s (Independence
Independence Bowl
The Independence Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I college football bowl game that is played annually at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, so named because it was inaugurated in the United States bicentennial year, 1976....
, Freedom
Freedom Bowl
The Freedom Bowl was an annual post-season college football bowl game played at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California, from 1984 to 1994. Beginning with the 1995 season, the Freedom Bowl's WAC tie-ins were merged with that of the Holiday Bowl and the game was dissolved...
, California
California Bowl
The California Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game played annually at Bulldog Stadium in Fresno, California, from 1981 to 1991. The games matched the championship teams from the Big West Conference with teams from the Mid-American Conference...
and Las Vegas
Las Vegas Bowl
The Maaco Bowl Las Vegas is an NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually at 40,000-seat Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. since 1992. From 1992 to 1996, matchups featured the champion teams from the Big West and Mid-American...
).
NFL career
In December 1994, Leavy received a call from then NFL Supervisor of Officials, Jerry SeemanJerry Seeman
Jerry Seeman was an American football official in the National Football League from 1975 to 1990 and was the NFL's Senior Director of Officiating from 1991 to 2001, succeeding Art McNally...
, that he was selected as one of 12 finalists for open positions beginning with the 1995 NFL season
1995 NFL season
The 1995 NFL season was the 76th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 30 teams with the addition of the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars...
. On March 27, 1995, Leavy was hired by the league as a field judge. Leavy's first game was a pre-season matchup between the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
and Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
at Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675...
. For seven seasons, Leavy worked as a field judge and later as a back judge, when the league swapped position names in 1998, before being promoted to referee for the 2001 NFL season
2001 NFL season
The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day...
. This opportunity at the referee position became available as a result of Phil Luckett
Phil Luckett
Phil Luckett was an official in the National Football League . His officiating uniform number was 59. He entered the NFL as a field judge in 1991, then became a referee in 1997 after Red Cashion and Howard Roe announced their retirements, and returned to the back judge position in 2001...
returning to his original back judge position due to the time commitment that is involved to be a successful crew chief.
Outside of the NFL, Leavy was hired in 1998 as the Coordinator of Football Officials for the Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
and was appointed Coordinator of Football Officials for the Mountain West Conference
Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...
in 1999.
Super Bowl XL
Leavy's first Super Bowl as referee did not go unnoticed by the media and fans as several controversial calls were made throughout the game. Seattle coach, Mike HolmgrenMike Holmgren
Michael George Holmgren is a former professional football coach and current President of the Cleveland Browns. He served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1992 to 1998, and the Seattle Seahawks from 1999 to 2008...
, at a team rally on February 6 at Qwest Field
Qwest Field
CenturyLink Field is a multi-purpose stadium in Seattle, Washington, United States. It serves as the home field for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League and Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer...
, criticized the officials as he felt they assisted the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in winning the Super Bowl saying, "We knew it was going to be tough going against the Pittsburgh Steelers. I didn't know we were going to have to play the guys in the striped shirts as well." The NFL did not fine Holmgren for the remarks.
In response to the criticisms leveled at the officials, the NFL, just two days after the game, released a statement defending the officials' performance. "The game was properly officiated, including, as in most NFL games, some tight plays that produced disagreement about the calls made by the officials," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in a statement.
Mike Pereira
Mike Pereira
Mike Pereira is a former Vice President of Officiating for the National Football League . He first took over the position in 2001, succeeding Jerry Seeman. He was also a game official in the NFL for two seasons as a side judge on the officiating crew headed by referee Mike Carey...
, Supervisor of Officials, appeared on the NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
show, Total Access, stating that the calls were correct with the exception of the penalty called against Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck
Matt Hasselbeck
Matthew Michael Hasselbeck is a National Football League quarterback for the Tennessee Titans. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL Draft, and traded to Seattle in 2001. After becoming the starter in 2003, Hasselbeck led Seattle to six playoff appearances and...
for an illegal low block in the fourth quarter.
On August 6, 2010, while visiting the Seahawks' preseason training camp for an annual rules interpretation session with the Seattle media, Leavy brought up Super Bowl XL without being asked:
He never mentioned specifically on which calls he made mistakes.
Memorable games
- In the game that followed the September 11, 2001 attacksSeptember 11, 2001 attacksThe September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, Leavy was assigned to work a game at Candlestick Park in San Francisco between the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
and St. Louis RamsSt. Louis RamsThe St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
. Paying tribute to the New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
police and firefighters who served during and in the aftermath of the attacks, Leavy wore a San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD) hat during the coin toss. Just prior to the coin toss, Leavy announced that it was "my special privilege to be [here] [today] after serving 27 years as a police officer and firefighter in San Jose." - Television analyst John Madden commented during a Monday Night FootballMonday Night FootballMonday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
telecast that Leavy has great control of the game and reminded Madden of legendary NFL referee Jim TunneyJim Tunney (American football official)Dr. Jim Tunney was an American football official in the National Football League from 1960 to 1991. In his 31 years as an NFL official, Jim Tunney received a record 29 post-season assignments, including ten Championship games and Super Bowls VI, XI, and XII and named as an alternate in Super Bowl...
. - Leavy was inadvertently struck in the back of the head by a player while trying to break up a fight during a National Football ConferenceNational Football ConferenceThe National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
(NFC) Wild Card playoffNFL playoffsThe National Football League playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held at the end of the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Six teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records, and a tie-breaking procedure exists in the...
game on January 8, 2000 between the Detroit LionsDetroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
and Washington RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
at FedEx Field in Landover, MarylandLandover, MarylandLandover is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, within the census-designated place of Greater Landover. The Prince Georges County Sports and Learning Complex is in Landover...
. He was not forced to leave the game.