Pete Morelli
Encyclopedia
Peter "Pete" Morelli is the principal of Saint Mary's High School in Stockton
, California and better known as an American football
official
in the National Football League
(NFL) since the 1997 NFL season
.
As an official in the NFL, Morelli is known for working Super Bowl XXXVI
in 2002 as a field judge and later as a referee for two controversial games - the 2005-06 NFL playoffs
between the Indianapolis Colts
and Pittsburgh Steelers
, and a 2007 regular season game between the Baltimore Ravens
and Cleveland Browns
. Beginning his ninth year as referee for the 2011 NFL season
, Morelli's officiating crew consists of umpire Ruben Fowler, head linesman Mark Baltz
, line judge John Hussey, field judge Jon Lucivansky, side judge Don Carlsen and back judge Rob Vernatchi.
, working high school football games. For his performance, he was assigned playoff and championship games. He later progressed to the college level, officiating in the Big West Conference
and Western Athletic Conference
. He was selected to work eleven playoff games, including the 1996 Liberty Bowl
.
following the retirements of Dick Hantak
and Bob McElwee
. He wears uniform number 135.
in Indianapolis
. In the fourth quarter, Steelers safety Troy Polamalu
appeared to intercept a Peyton Manning
pass with 5:26 left in regulation. Polamalu made a diving catch and tumbled to the ground with the ball in his hands and got up to run. As he did, he fumbled the ball, then recovered. Colts head coach
Tony Dungy
challenged the call, and upon review on instant replay
, Morelli overturned the ruling on the field of a completed catch and interception. After the reversal of the interception, Indianapolis drove down the field and scored a touchdown
and a two-point conversion
to reduce the eleven point deficit down to three, making the final score 21-18. This would end up being the final score of the game. Following the game, Morelli explained his ruling, saying, "I had the defender catching the ball. Before he got up, he hit it with his leg with his other leg still on the ground. He never had possession with his leg up off the ground, doing an act common to the game of football. He was losing it while his other leg was still on the ground. Therefore, he did not complete the catch. And then he lost the ball. It came out, and so we made the play an incomplete pass." Steelers linebacker
Joey Porter
claimed that the referees were conspiring against his team, hoping to give the Colts the victory. In an interview with The New York Times
, Porter said, "I felt they were cheating us. When the interception happened, everybody in the world knew that was an interception. Don't cheat us that bad. When they did that, they really want Peyton Manning and these guys to win the Super Bowl. They are just going to straight take it for them. I felt that they were like 'We don't even care if you know we're cheating. We're cheating for them.'"
A day after the game, the NFL released a statement confirming that Polamalu made the interception, refuting the overturn call of Morelli. Mike Pereira
, the league's vice president of officiating, said, "[Polamalu] maintained possession long enough to establish a catch. Therefore, the replay review should have upheld the call on the field that it was a catch and fumble." The NFL also opted not to fine Porter for his remarks towards the officials. No further explanation was given by the league on their decision not to punish Porter.
in Baltimore
, Morelli was the referee of a game between the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens. Towards the end of regulation, Browns placekicker
Phil Dawson
attempted a 51-yard field goal
to tie the game and force an overtime
period. As Dawson kicked the ball, it ricocheted off the left upright, broke the plane of the crossbar, and bounced off the stanchion
, which holds the crossbar and supports the goalposts. Upon contacting the stanchion, the ball bounced back over the crossbar and onto the field. Initially, field judge Jim Saracino looked at back judge Keith Ferguson, then signaled the kick was no good as time expired.
As the Ravens headed for the locker room believing the game was over, officials began to discuss the call. After a five minute discussion among the officials, referee Pete Morelli announced over the public address system that he would "take a look at this play". However, by rule, field goals are not reviewable on instant replay. Upon arriving at the instant review booth, Morelli was informed by replay assistant Howard Slavin through headphones that field goals are not reviewable. While there is some controversy on whether Morelli used video review, Mike Pereira said, "[Morelli] was talking to Howard Slavin, and he was told it was not a reviewable play. He wanted to make sure." WMAR-TV
in Baltimore filmed Morelli and Jim Saracino at the replay booth, but not "under the hood" reviewing video.
Morelli proceeded to further discuss the kick with his crew. In the discussion that ensued, Keith Ferguson "felt more strongly" that the ball had crossed through the goal posts. Based on Ferguson's opinion of the kick, Morelli declared that the field goal was good. Following the game, Morelli described the sequence of events to a pool reporter. "It was a ruling by one of the officials, not by me," Morelli said. "One of the officials signaled incomplete, no good. The other official informed me the ball hit the back of the extension of the goal post, which is the backside of it, which is an object beyond the goal post. And, in discussion with the three of us, we had to figure what the ruling was. Whether the ball hit the bar beyond the extension or not."
The correct call was made according to NFL rules as Rule No. 11, Section 5-c, states that the entire ball must pass through the goal in case wind or other forces cause it to return through the goal. It must have struck the ground or some object.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello stated that the league's Competition Committee would review siutations where a field goal try strikes an object as reviewable by instant replay during the offseason following the 2007 season. League executives have stated that there are not enough cameras to provide irrefutable video evidence for all field goal tries.
between the Minnesota Vikings
and New Orleans Saints
at the Louisiana Superdome
in New Orleans on January 24, 2010. One questionable call was the Saints' Bobby McCray
's low blindside hit on Vikings quarterback Brett Favre
; it appeared to have violated the "Tom Brady Rule" in which defenders can't hit quarterbacks below the knees, but no penalty was called (which would have negated an New Orleans interception). Mike Pereira
, the NFL's Supervisor of Officials, would later discuss the play on his weekly "Official Review" segment on NFL Network
's NFL Total Access
, and admit that it was in fact a missed call and a penalty flag
should have been thrown.
There were also two calls during the overtime period of that game that were reviewed under replay: A fourth down run by Pierre Thomas
, who appeared to lose control of the ball when his forward progress was stopped at the first down line; and a completed catch by Robert Meachem
, in which he appeared to lose control of the ball as he and the ball hit the ground. In both cases, the original call on the field stood due to a lack of indisputable visual evidence to overturn them.
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
, California and better known as an American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
official
Official (American football)
In American football, an official is a person who has responsibility in enforcing the rules and maintaining the order of the game.During professional and college football games, seven officials operate on the field...
in the National Football League
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 the 1997 NFL season
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...
.
As an official in the NFL, Morelli is known for working Super Bowl 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...
in 2002 as a field judge and later as a referee for two controversial games - the 2005-06 NFL playoffs
NFL playoffs, 2005-06
The National Football League playoffs for the 2005 season began on January 7, 2006 and led up to Super Bowl XL on February 5, 2006 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan....
between the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
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...
, and a 2007 regular season game between the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
and Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Beginning his ninth year as referee for the 2011 NFL season
2011 NFL season
The 2011 NFL season, the 92nd regular season of the National Football League, began on Thursday, September 8, 2011 with the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42–34 at Lambeau Field and will end with Super Bowl XLVI, the league's championship game, on...
, Morelli's officiating crew consists of umpire Ruben Fowler, head linesman Mark Baltz
Mark Baltz
Mark Baltz is an American football official in the National Football League since the 1989 NFL season. He has worked as a head linesman throughout his entire career in the NFL and has been assigned to 19 post-season games, including five conference championship games...
, line judge John Hussey, field judge Jon Lucivansky, side judge Don Carlsen and back judge Rob Vernatchi.
Personal
Pete Morelli is married to Cindy and has two sons, Matt and Dan. Morelli currently lives in Stockton, California.Early years
In 1971, aged 19, Morelli began officiating with his father and two uncles, Joe and Tony Morelli. He started with the California Interscholastic FederationCalifornia Interscholastic Federation
The California Interscholastic Federation is the governing body for high school sports in the state of California. It mirrors similar governing bodies in other states; however, it differs from some of the others in that it covers most high schools in the state of California, both public and...
, working high school football games. For his performance, he was assigned playoff and championship games. He later progressed to the college level, officiating in the Big West Conference
Big 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...
and 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...
. He was selected to work eleven playoff games, including the 1996 Liberty Bowl
Liberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual U.S. American college football bowl game played in December of each year from 1959 to 2007 and in January in 2009 and 2010. The Liberty Bowl was sponsored by AXA Financial and was known as the AXA Liberty Bowl from 1997 to 2003...
.
NFL career
Morelli was hired by the NFL in 1997 as a back judge, then switched to field judge after the league swapped position titles in 1998, and was promoted to referee with the start of the 2003 NFL season2003 NFL season
-Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *...
following the retirements of Dick Hantak
Dick Hantak
Dick Hantak was an American football official in the National Football League for 25 years between 1978 and 2003. He began his NFL officiating career as a back judge and became a referee eight years later...
and Bob McElwee
Bob McElwee
Robert T. "Bob" McElwee is a former American football official, who served for 41 years, with 27 of those years in the National Football League from 1976 to 2003...
. He wears uniform number 135.
Troy Polamalu interception
Morelli was involved in a controversial call during an AFC divisional playoff game on January 15, 2006 between the Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers at the RCA DomeRCA Dome
RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons ....
in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. In the fourth quarter, Steelers safety Troy Polamalu
Troy Polamalu
Troy Aumua Polamalu is an American football strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He played college football at the University of Southern California.-High school:Troy Polamalu graduated...
appeared to intercept a Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
pass with 5:26 left in regulation. Polamalu made a diving catch and tumbled to the ground with the ball in his hands and got up to run. As he did, he fumbled the ball, then recovered. Colts head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Tony Dungy
Tony Dungy
Anthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy [DUN-jee] is a former professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. Dungy was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001, and head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2008...
challenged the call, and upon review on instant replay
Instant replay
Instant replay is the replaying of video footage of an event or incident very soon after it has occurred. In television broadcasting of sports events, instant replay is often used during live broadcast, to show a passage of play which was important or remarkable, or which was unclear on first...
, Morelli overturned the ruling on the field of a completed catch and interception. After the reversal of the interception, Indianapolis drove down the field and scored a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
and a two-point conversion
Two-point conversion
In American and Canadian football, a two-point conversion is a play a team attempts instead of kicking a one-point convert immediately after it scores a touchdown...
to reduce the eleven point deficit down to three, making the final score 21-18. This would end up being the final score of the game. Following the game, Morelli explained his ruling, saying, "I had the defender catching the ball. Before he got up, he hit it with his leg with his other leg still on the ground. He never had possession with his leg up off the ground, doing an act common to the game of football. He was losing it while his other leg was still on the ground. Therefore, he did not complete the catch. And then he lost the ball. It came out, and so we made the play an incomplete pass." Steelers 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...
Joey Porter
Joey Porter
Joseph "Joey" Eugene Porter is an American football linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Colorado State.A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Porter earned a...
claimed that the referees were conspiring against his team, hoping to give the Colts the victory. In an interview with The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Porter said, "I felt they were cheating us. When the interception happened, everybody in the world knew that was an interception. Don't cheat us that bad. When they did that, they really want Peyton Manning and these guys to win the Super Bowl. They are just going to straight take it for them. I felt that they were like 'We don't even care if you know we're cheating. We're cheating for them.'"
A day after the game, the NFL released a statement confirming that Polamalu made the interception, refuting the overturn call of Morelli. 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...
, the league's vice president of officiating, said, "[Polamalu] maintained possession long enough to establish a catch. Therefore, the replay review should have upheld the call on the field that it was a catch and fumble." The NFL also opted not to fine Porter for his remarks towards the officials. No further explanation was given by the league on their decision not to punish Porter.
Phil Dawson field goal
On November 18, 2007 at M&T Bank StadiumM&T Bank Stadium
M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles. Served by the Hamburg Street station of...
in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Morelli was the referee of a game between the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens. Towards the end of regulation, Browns placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
Phil Dawson
Phil Dawson
Philip Drury Dawson is an American football placekicker for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He holds the franchise record for most field goals made, passing Hall of Famer Lou Groza in 2010...
attempted a 51-yard 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...
to tie the game and force an overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
period. As Dawson kicked the ball, it ricocheted off the left upright, broke the plane of the crossbar, and bounced off the stanchion
Stanchion
A stanchion is an upright bar or post, often providing support for some other object.* An architectural term applied to the upright iron bars in windows that pass through the eyes of the saddle bars or horizontal irons to steady the leadlight. A stanchion is an upright bar or post, often...
, which holds the crossbar and supports the goalposts. Upon contacting the stanchion, the ball bounced back over the crossbar and onto the field. Initially, field judge Jim Saracino looked at back judge Keith Ferguson, then signaled the kick was no good as time expired.
As the Ravens headed for the locker room believing the game was over, officials began to discuss the call. After a five minute discussion among the officials, referee Pete Morelli announced over the public address system that he would "take a look at this play". However, by rule, field goals are not reviewable on instant replay. Upon arriving at the instant review booth, Morelli was informed by replay assistant Howard Slavin through headphones that field goals are not reviewable. While there is some controversy on whether Morelli used video review, Mike Pereira said, "[Morelli] was talking to Howard Slavin, and he was told it was not a reviewable play. He wanted to make sure." WMAR-TV
WMAR-TV
WMAR-TV, channel 2, is the ABC affiliate television station in Baltimore, Maryland, owned by the broadcasting division of the E.W. Scripps Company...
in Baltimore filmed Morelli and Jim Saracino at the replay booth, but not "under the hood" reviewing video.
Morelli proceeded to further discuss the kick with his crew. In the discussion that ensued, Keith Ferguson "felt more strongly" that the ball had crossed through the goal posts. Based on Ferguson's opinion of the kick, Morelli declared that the field goal was good. Following the game, Morelli described the sequence of events to a pool reporter. "It was a ruling by one of the officials, not by me," Morelli said. "One of the officials signaled incomplete, no good. The other official informed me the ball hit the back of the extension of the goal post, which is the backside of it, which is an object beyond the goal post. And, in discussion with the three of us, we had to figure what the ruling was. Whether the ball hit the bar beyond the extension or not."
The correct call was made according to NFL rules as Rule No. 11, Section 5-c, states that the entire ball must pass through the goal in case wind or other forces cause it to return through the goal. It must have struck the ground or some object.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello stated that the league's Competition Committee would review siutations where a field goal try strikes an object as reviewable by instant replay during the offseason following the 2007 season. League executives have stated that there are not enough cameras to provide irrefutable video evidence for all field goal tries.
2009 NFC Championship Game
Morelli was the referee of the NFC Championship GameNFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
between the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota 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 New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
at the Louisiana Superdome
Louisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
in New Orleans on January 24, 2010. One questionable call was the Saints' Bobby McCray
Bobby McCray
Bobby L. McCray, Jr. is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
's low blindside hit on Vikings quarterback Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
; it appeared to have violated the "Tom Brady Rule" in which defenders can't hit quarterbacks below the knees, but no penalty was called (which would have negated an New Orleans interception). 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...
, the NFL's Supervisor of Officials, would later discuss the play on his weekly "Official Review" segment on 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...
's NFL Total Access
NFL Total Access
NFL Total Access is a television news program on the NFL Network.The network treats it as the league's "show of record" and bills it as the only year-round show dedicated to the National Football League, despite the ESPN show NFL Live running year round as well.NFL Total Access is primarily hosted...
, and admit that it was in fact a missed call and a penalty flag
Penalty flag
The penalty flag is a yellow cloth used in several field sports including American football and lacrosse by game officials to identify and sometimes mark the location of penalties or infractions that occur during regular play. It is usually wrapped around a weight, such as sand or beans so it can...
should have been thrown.
There were also two calls during the overtime period of that game that were reviewed under replay: A fourth down run by Pierre Thomas
Pierre Thomas (American football)
Charles Pierre Thomas Jr. is an American football running back for the New Orleans Saints in the National Football League.- Early years :...
, who appeared to lose control of the ball when his forward progress was stopped at the first down line; and a completed catch by Robert Meachem
Robert Meachem
Robert Meachem is an American football wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Saints 27th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tennessee....
, in which he appeared to lose control of the ball as he and the ball hit the ground. In both cases, the original call on the field stood due to a lack of indisputable visual evidence to overturn them.