FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- Mike Carey will become the first black referee in Super Bowl history.
Carey, in his 18th year as an official, was notified by the NFL office this week he had the assignment for the Feb. 3 game in Glendale, Ariz. The NFL will not officially announce the assignments until the week of the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl officials are chosen on merit, with the highest ranked at each position getting the assignment. Carey, who runs a skiing accessories company, has been among the NFL's top crew chiefs for a decade and has been a Super Bowl alternate, but has never been the referee.
Mike Carey to referee Super Bowl, first black to do it - NFL - Yahoo! Sports