The Seven Highest-Rated: Meet The Full NFL Officiating Crew For Super Bowl LIX (2025)

The integrity of the biggest game in American sports rests on the shoulders of seven men, and for Super Bowl LIX in 2025, the NFL selected a crew of seasoned veterans and high-performing specialists. This article, updated in December 2025, details the official crew that worked the championship game on February 9, 2025, providing a complete breakdown of the officials, their career backgrounds, and the rigorous selection process that elevated them to the Caesars Superdome field in New Orleans. The crew was anchored by a veteran with a background in law, marking his second Super Bowl assignment.

The selection of the Super Bowl LIX officiating crew was a testament to the NFL's season-long commitment to performance grading, rewarding the most accurate and consistent officials with the ultimate assignment. The seven officials chosen represented the highest-rated individuals at each of their respective positions across the entire 2024–2025 NFL season, ensuring the highest standard of officiating for the league's pinnacle event.

The Official Super Bowl LIX Officiating Crew: A Complete Roster and Biography

The NFL announced the full seven-person officiating crew for Super Bowl LIX, held at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on February 9, 2025. This group was chosen based on their superior performance during the 2024 regular season and the early rounds of the NFL Playoffs.

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• Referee: Ron Torbert
• Umpire: Mike Morton
• Down Judge: Max Causey
• Line Judge: Mark Stewart
• Field Judge: Mearl Robinson
• Side Judge: Boris Cheek
• Back Judge: Jonah Monroe

Head Referee Profile: Ron Torbert

Ron Torbert served as the head referee for Super Bowl LIX, marking his second Super Bowl assignment as the crew chief.

Torbert, born on January 1, 1964, is a highly respected veteran in the NFL officiating ranks, known for his calm demeanor and consistent application of the rules.

• NFL Career Start: Torbert began his career as a side judge in 2010 before being promoted to referee in 2014.
• Previous Super Bowl: This was his second time leading an officiating crew in the Super Bowl, a rare honor that underscores his high performance grades.
• Professional Background: Uniquely, Torbert is also a distinguished attorney. He previously worked as an equity partner at the law firm Dykema Gossett, and also served as general counsel for AlliedSignal Automotive. His legal background is often cited as a contributing factor to his meticulous approach to the NFL rulebook.
• Hometown: Youngstown, Ohio.

Key Veteran: Side Judge Boris Cheek

Side Judge Boris Cheek was another notable selection for the Super Bowl LIX crew. His assignment to the game was a significant achievement, as it marked his fourth career Super Bowl appearance.

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Cheek’s extensive experience makes him one of the most decorated officials on the field. He entered the NFL in 1996 and has worked numerous high-pressure playoff games throughout his decades-long career. His veteran presence provides a steadying force for the entire crew, particularly in the high-stakes environment of the Super Bowl.

The Rigorous NFL Selection Process for Super Bowl Officials

The choice of the Super Bowl LIX crew was not a subjective decision but the result of a rigorous, season-long evaluation system maintained by the NFL's officiating department. This process is designed to ensure that only the league's most proficient officials are given the honor of working the championship game.

Performance Grading: The Ultimate Metric

To qualify for a Super Bowl assignment, an official must first have at least five years of experience in the NFL.

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The core of the selection process is a comprehensive grading system that meticulously tracks the performance of every official on every play throughout the 18-week regular season and the subsequent playoff rounds.

The NFL uses this evaluation to determine the "highest-rated official" at each of the seven positions: Referee, Umpire, Down Judge, Line Judge, Field Judge, Side Judge, and Back Judge.

Consistency and Accuracy

The grading system prioritizes two key factors: consistency and accuracy. Officials must demonstrate a precise understanding and application of the NFL rulebook, making the correct calls with minimal errors.

The final Super Bowl crew is therefore a composite team, bringing together the top individual performer from each of the seven officiating roles, regardless of which regular-season crew they normally work with. This method ensures that the Super Bowl LIX crew was, statistically, the best possible combination of officials the league could assemble.

Topical Authority and Key Entities for Super Bowl LIX Officiating

The Super Bowl LIX officiating crew was a mix of experience and top-tier performance, highlighting the depth of talent within the NFL's officiating program. Understanding the roles and the individuals is key to appreciating the flow and integrity of the game.

The Seven Positions and Their Roles

Each of the seven officials has a distinct area of responsibility, ensuring every aspect of the play is covered:

• Referee (Ron Torbert): The crew chief, responsible for overall game control, ruling on all fouls, and announcing penalties.
• Umpire (Mike Morton): Positioned behind the defensive line, responsible for legality of player equipment, holding calls, and line of scrimmage action. Morton is a former NFL linebacker, a unique background among officials.
• Down Judge (Max Causey): Works the sideline, responsible for the line of scrimmage, marking forward progress, and monitoring offsides/false starts.
• Line Judge (Mark Stewart): Works the opposite sideline from the Down Judge, assisting with the line of scrimmage, timing, and monitoring illegal shifts.
• Field Judge (Mearl Robinson): Positioned deep downfield near the defensive secondary, responsible for ruling on plays near the sideline, goal line, and end zone, and assisting with pass interference.
• Side Judge (Boris Cheek): Works opposite the Field Judge, with similar deep coverage responsibilities, focusing on the sideline and the 25-second clock.
• Back Judge (Jonah Monroe): Positioned deepest in the defensive backfield, responsible for the play clock, legality of kicks, and ruling on deep passes, especially in the end zone.

The selection of these seven individuals—Torbert, Morton, Causey, Stewart, Robinson, Cheek, and Monroe—for Super Bowl LIX underscores the NFL’s commitment to meritocracy in officiating. Their assignment was the culmination of a full season of elite performance, placing them at the center of the biggest sports spectacle of the year in New Orleans, Louisiana.