NFL

Referee Bill Vinovich the Underdog For Super Bowl XLIX

Fresh Videos

By @AnthonyBeers

NFL Refs

Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

Sports fans always appreciate an underdog. They love a scrapper who overcame the naysayers to live their dreams on their own terms. It’s something fans of all ages can aspire to. An inspirational figure may have a story that can transcend to the lives of others, without even having to know them personally. Unfortunately for fans of the underdog, this year’s Super Bowl in Glendale, Ariz. wields two No. 1 seeds as the participants. But the real underdog of this game won’t be suiting up for the Seattle Seahawks or the New England Patriots.

Bill Vinovich has recently been named as the head referee for Super Bowl XLIX, but few realize the struggles he went through as an individual to get to this point of his career. Vinovich became an established official in the early 2000s, but in 2006 he was out of the game for six years. The reason for Vinovich’s departure was due to an aortic aneurysm he had suffered, making it a serious risk to continue officiating.

Vinovich’s heart condition would have ended most careers. But his determination to remain as healthy as possible and his commitment to the game led him to where he is at this point in his career. Doctors medically cleared Vinovich in 2012, but that does not even begin to explain the fear that Vinovich so boldly overcame. His former career, a dream he had once desired, was at one point hazardous to his health. To come back from that mindset beholds a mental perseverance that requires commendation.

He was highly tested when doing the Divisional game between the Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens. Bill Belichick‘s game plan of shifting around eligible and ineligible receivers to confuse the Ravens’ coverage strategies were a huge test for Vinovich. This is especially the case since Belichick naturally wasn’t going to give him any warning towards his plan prior to the contest. The rulings in the game towards this strategy were all correct, ultimately making Vinovich a prime candidate for the Super Bowl.

So if the matchup of two No. 1 seeds in this year’s Super Bowl make it difficult for fans to know who to root for, at the very least, Mr. Vinovich has provided a very heartwarming story. He’s a man whose love of the game couldn’t keep him off the field — even if his life was at risk.

Share Tweet
Trending Now on