Gordon McCarter
Encyclopedia
Gordon McCarter was an American football official in the National Football League (NFL) from 1967 to 1995. He joined the NFL as a line judge and back judge (now known as the field judge) in 1967 before being promoted to referee with the start of the 1974 NFL season
when Jack Reader
was named Assistant Supervisor of Officials at NFL headquarters in New York City. McCarter is most likely remembered for a 1995 game in which Pittsburgh Steelers
head coach Bill Cowher
stuffed a Polaroid
photo in McCarter's uniform pocket while leaving the field. McCarter wore the uniform number 48 for the majority of his career.
McCarter was a 1954 graduate of Case Western Reserve University
in Cleveland, Ohio
and was the star fullback
and team captain on the school's football team in 1954 and also worked for the university from 1963 to 1977 as director of alumni affairs and registrar
.
After officiating at school football games and amateur track meets, McCarter joined the NFL in 1967 and later was in charge of several disputed games during his last years in the league. McCarter retired from the NFL following the 1995 NFL season
.
McCarter died on December 20, 2002, in Cleveland at the age of 71.
and Pittsburgh Steelers on September 24, 1995 at Three Rivers Stadium
in Pittsburgh. Just before halftime on a Minnesota field goal
attempt, line judge Ben Montgomery called a penalty on Pittsburgh for having 12 players on the field, a violation of the rules. Minnesota was able to score a field goal as a result of the penalty. Pittsburgh head coach Bill Cowher counted 11 players on the field, and in disgust, printed a photo to prove that 11 players were on the field. At halftime, Cowher ran by McCarter as they were going to the locker room and shoved a photo in McCarter's shirt pocket to show the referee the evidence. League rules did not allow using photographic evidence to overturn calls. The NFL later agreed that the officials miscalculated the number of Pittsburgh players on the field and fined both McCarter and Montgomery a game's pay, $4,009 and $2,826 respectively. According to the Wall Street Journal, these were the largest fines ever for an American
sports official. Cowher also was fined $7,500 for his actions.
1974 NFL season
The 1974 NFL season was the 55th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl IX when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Minnesota Vikings...
when Jack Reader
Jack Reader
John Kenneth "Jack" Reader is a former American football official. After graduation from the College of the Holy Cross in 1950, football star Jack Reader became an on-field official...
was named Assistant Supervisor of Officials at NFL headquarters in New York City. McCarter is most likely remembered for a 1995 game in which 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...
head coach Bill Cowher
Bill Cowher
William Laird "Bill" Cowher is a former American football coach and player. Cowher resigned after 15 seasons as the Steelers' coach on January 5, 2007, 11 months to the day after winning 2005–06's Super Bowl XL...
stuffed a Polaroid
Instant film
Instant film is a type of photographic film first introduced by Polaroid that is designed to be used in an instant camera...
photo in McCarter's uniform pocket while leaving the field. McCarter wore the uniform number 48 for the majority of his career.
McCarter was a 1954 graduate of Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
and was the star fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
and team captain on the school's football team in 1954 and also worked for the university from 1963 to 1977 as director of alumni affairs and registrar
Registrar (academic)
In education outside the United Kingdom, a registrar or registrary is an official in an academic institution who handles student records. Typically, a registrar processes registration requests, schedules classes and maintains class lists, enforces the rules for entering or leaving classes, and...
.
After officiating at school football games and amateur track meets, McCarter joined the NFL in 1967 and later was in charge of several disputed games during his last years in the league. McCarter retired from the NFL following 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...
.
McCarter died on December 20, 2002, in Cleveland at the age of 71.
Bill Cowher Incident
McCarter was the referee in a regular season game between the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
and Pittsburgh Steelers on September 24, 1995 at Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...
in Pittsburgh. Just before halftime on a Minnesota field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
attempt, line judge Ben Montgomery called a penalty on Pittsburgh for having 12 players on the field, a violation of the rules. Minnesota was able to score a field goal as a result of the penalty. Pittsburgh head coach Bill Cowher counted 11 players on the field, and in disgust, printed a photo to prove that 11 players were on the field. At halftime, Cowher ran by McCarter as they were going to the locker room and shoved a photo in McCarter's shirt pocket to show the referee the evidence. League rules did not allow using photographic evidence to overturn calls. The NFL later agreed that the officials miscalculated the number of Pittsburgh players on the field and fined both McCarter and Montgomery a game's pay, $4,009 and $2,826 respectively. According to the Wall Street Journal, these were the largest fines ever for an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sports official. Cowher also was fined $7,500 for his actions.
Trivia
- McCarter was the referee for the 1985 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...
game between the Chicago BearsChicago BearsThe Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
at the Orange BowlMiami Orange BowlThe Orange Bowl, formerly Burdine Stadium, was an outdoor athletic stadium in Miami, Florida, west of downtown in Little Havana. Considered a landmark, it was the home stadium for the Miami Hurricanes college football team...
in Miami. The Bears came into the week 13 game undefeated, but were beaten by the Dolphins for their only loss of the season.