Mark Hittner
Encyclopedia
Mark Hittner is an American football official in the National Football League (NFL) since the beginning of the 1997 NFL season
. He works as a head linesman and wears the uniform number 28. He is most notable for officiating in the last three of five Super Bowls, most recently in Super Bowl XL
on February 5, 2006 between the Seattle Seahawks
and Pittsburgh Steelers
.
Hittner played college football
at Pittsburg State University
in Pittsburg, Kansas
from 1976 to 1979 where he was an all-conference quarterback
in 1978-79 and is the school’s second-leading career passer in yards (4,830).
Hittner was a college football official in the Big Eight/Big 12 Conference
for 13 years prior to joining the NFL in 1997. He worked the first Big 12 championship game at the Trans World Dome
in St. Louis
in 1996, won by the Texas Longhorns over the Nebraska Cornhuskers
, 37-27.
In the NFL, Hittner has officiated eight post-season assignments including Super Bowls XXXVI
, XXXVIII
, and XL in addition to two wild-card, one divisional, and 2 conference championship games.
For the 2006 NFL season
, Hittner is a head linesman on the officiating crew headed by referee Ed Hochuli
and has worked with Hochuli since the 2000 NFL season
.
Outside of his NFL officiating duties, Hittner owns a financial services company in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area
.
Hittner is married and has three sons.
. The game was most notable for the media and fan reaction to the officiating. Hittner is most notable for a touchdown call he made in the second quarter with two minutes remaining in the first half. On third down from the Seattle one-yard line, Pittsburgh quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger
took the snap, faked a handoff, and dove toward the left side of a pile along the goal-line before being hit by Seahawks linebacker
D.D. Lewis. After first raising one hand (as if to indicate that the quarterback was down), Hittner raised a second arm to signal a touchdown. The play stood after instant replay review. Hittner later said about the play, "That was probably the closest goal-line call I've ever had. Jeez, that was close. My mechanics were not the best on that. I thought 'touchdown' in my head, and then I went up with one arm, which means the play is over, but I should have gone with two arms. I was thinking one thing and did another. I've seen a lot of video on it, and he’s in the end zone. It's not by a whole lot, but he's in there."
1997 NFL season
The 1997 NFL season was the 78th regular season of the National Football League. The Oilers relocated from Houston, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee...
. He works as a head linesman and wears the uniform number 28. He is most notable for officiating in the last three of five Super Bowls, most recently in 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...
on February 5, 2006 between the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
and 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...
.
Hittner played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg State University, also called Pitt State or PSU, is a public university with approximately 7,100 students located in Pittsburg, Kansas, United States. A large percentage of the student population consists of residents within the Pittsburg region; the gender proportion is relatively equal...
in Pittsburg, Kansas
Pittsburg, Kansas
Pittsburg is a city in Crawford County, in southeastern Kansas, United States. It is the most populous city in Crawford County and in southeastern Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 20,233.-History:...
from 1976 to 1979 where he was an all-conference quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
in 1978-79 and is the school’s second-leading career passer in yards (4,830).
Hittner was a college football official in the Big Eight/Big 12 Conference
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
for 13 years prior to joining the NFL in 1997. He worked the first Big 12 championship game at the Trans World Dome
Edward Jones Dome
The Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome (more formally known as the Edward Jones Dome at America's Center, and previously known as The Trans World Dome (from 1995–2001) is a multi-purpose stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, and home of the St. Louis Rams of the NFL. It was...
in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
in 1996, won by the Texas Longhorns over the Nebraska Cornhuskers
Nebraska Cornhuskers
The Nebraska Cornhuskers is the name given to several sports teams of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference...
, 37-27.
In the NFL, Hittner has officiated eight post-season assignments including Super Bowls XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference champion New England Patriots won their first Super...
, XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game played on February 1, 2004 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas to decide the National Football League champion following the 2003 regular season....
, and XL in addition to two wild-card, one divisional, and 2 conference championship games.
For 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...
, Hittner is a head linesman on the officiating crew headed by referee Ed Hochuli
Ed Hochuli
Edward G. Hochuli is an attorney for the firm of Jones, Skelton & Hochuli, P.L.C. since 1983, and better known as an American football official in the National Football League since the 1990 NFL season. His uniform number is 85...
and has worked with Hochuli since the 2000 NFL season
2000 NFL season
The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
.
Outside of his NFL officiating duties, Hittner owns a financial services company in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area
Kansas City Metropolitan Area
The Kansas City Metropolitan Area is a fifteen-county metropolitan area that is anchored by Kansas City, Missouri and is bisected by the border between the states of Missouri and Kansas. As of the 2010 Census, the metropolitan area has a population of 2,035,334. The metropolitan area is the...
.
Hittner is married and has three sons.
Super Bowl XL
Hittner was the head linesman on the Super Bowl XL officiating crew headed by referee Bill LeavyBill Leavy
Bill Leavy is an American football official in the National Football League 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...
. The game was most notable for the media and fan reaction to the officiating. Hittner is most notable for a touchdown call he made in the second quarter with two minutes remaining in the first half. On third down from the Seattle one-yard line, Pittsburgh quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
took the snap, faked a handoff, and dove toward the left side of a pile along the goal-line before being hit by Seahawks linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
D.D. Lewis. After first raising one hand (as if to indicate that the quarterback was down), Hittner raised a second arm to signal a touchdown. The play stood after instant replay review. Hittner later said about the play, "That was probably the closest goal-line call I've ever had. Jeez, that was close. My mechanics were not the best on that. I thought 'touchdown' in my head, and then I went up with one arm, which means the play is over, but I should have gone with two arms. I was thinking one thing and did another. I've seen a lot of video on it, and he’s in the end zone. It's not by a whole lot, but he's in there."