WASHINGTON — A Howard University graduate helped make history on Monday when the NFL had an all-Black officiating crew for the first time.
Greg Steed was a back judge for the historic game that matched up the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Los Angeles Rams.
The crew consists of: referee Jerome Boger, umpire Barry Anderson, down judge Julian Mapp, line judge Carl Johnson, side judge Dale Shaw, field judge Anthony Jeffries and back judge Steed.
Steed is a very experienced referee and has officiated multiple Super Bowls.
Since 2003, Steed has been on the sidelines of the National Football League, and has also officiated in the Arena Football League, the XFL and NFL Europe.
Steed started his career officiating high school football in Washington before moving up the ranks doing college games.
Five members of the crew for Monday work together regularly. Johnson and Steed joined the group for this game. The crew has a combined 89 seasons in the league and has worked six Super Bowls.
The league has assigned crews based on geography this season to limit travel due to the coronavirus pandemic. Crew assignment guidelines have also been relaxed to assign officials to games closer to their homes when feasible.
The first Black official in any major sport was Burl Toler, hired by the NFL in 1965.
More than 20 Howard players have played in the NFL and two of its players, Willie Jefferies and Doug Porter, are in the College Football Hall of Fame.