John Parry, the referee who worked this year’s Super Bowl, has retired.
NFL head of officiating Al Riveron confirmed Parry’s retirement on Twitter.
“Referee John Parry has announced his retirement after 19 seasons & 3 Super Bowls. Thank you, John, for your dedication to the game. We wish you all the best!” Riveron wrote.
Parry was one of the league’s highest-rated referees, which is why he drew the Super Bowl assignment.
This is the second consecutive offseason that the NFL has seen some of its most experienced referees retire. Parry is joining Pete Morelli and Walt Coleman retiring this offseason. Last year, Ed Hochuli, Terry McAulay, Jeff Triplette and Gene Steratore retired. With NFL officiating under intense scrutiny, losing experienced referees could be a worrisome sign for the league office.