When the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers take the field at Allegiant Stadium tomorrow night for Super Bowl 58, history will officially be made for Terry Killens, and for great reason.
Who Is Terry Killens?
Having played professionally for the then-named Houston Oilers (currently Tennessee Titans), San Francisco 49ers, and Seattle Seahawks, Killens was a member of the 1996 draft class.
A third-round selection, Killens’ dream, like every other player’s, was to appear in a Super Bowl. That dream turned into reality on Jan. 30, 2000, when Killens’ Titans and the Kurt Warner-led St. Louis Rams battled it out in Super Bowl 34.
Killens did not start, appearing as a substitute during the Titans’ 23-16 loss. Although his stats were never box-score worthy, the effort and passion said otherwise.
Killens To Officiate Super Bowl
When the league announced the full referee assignment for Super Bowl 58, it was all smiles for Killens and his family.
More than 20 years removed from his final game as a professional NFL player, Killens, the game’s umpire, officially becomes the first person in the history of the NFL to both play in and officiate a Super Bowl.
“It’s a huge accomplishment; it is a reward; not only to me, but my crew. I wear the stripes because I love the game of football. When we wear the stripes, we are the guardians of the game,” a smiling Killens said.
When #SBLVIII kicks off, umpire Terry Killens will make history as the first person to both play in and officiate a Super Bowl. 👏🏿
Check out what he had to say ⬇️
Via @SportsCenter pic.twitter.com/DQVG1s3SnG
— Troy Vincent, Sr. (@TroyVincentSr)
Transitioning into an official after retirement is an unusual move in today’s football world for players. Most players work their way into the coaching or broadcasting life, whereas others leave the game of football behind and open the book to a new chapter.
Killens told The Athletic a friend persuaded him to try officiating.
“Once I got on the football field as an official, it grabbed me. I didn’t want to let go,” Killens told NFL Network.
Killens will have a very special person in the back of his mind Sunday night: his wife Rhonda, who tragically passed away in 2020 due to breast cancer.
Killens said his wife took on “a lot of the work at home” and is out-of-this-world grateful for everything she ever did for her loved ones and him.
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Killens’ crew will be led by referee Bill Vinovich, who most recently served as an alternate referee for Super Bowl 56 between the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams.
Kickoff for Super Bowl 58 is set for 6:30 p.m. ET.
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