Jim Tunney was a referee in the National Football League who served the sport for over three decades, working in nearly 30 post-seasons, including three Super Bowls.
- Died: December 12, 2024 (Who else died on December 12?)
- Details of death: Died in Pebble Beach, California at the age of 95.
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Jim Tunney’s legacy
Los Angeles-native Tunney was often called the dean of referees for a reason. For three decades, he was an NFL mainstay, especially from 1967 to 1990, when he served as a league referee.
When he first joined the NFL staff in 1960, the Occidental College graduate was the league’s youngest official at 30 years old. He began as a field judge before being moved up to referee in ’67. Over his 31 years with the NFL, Tunney worked a record 29 post seasons, including three Super Bowls: Super Bowl VI, Super Bowl XI and Super Bowl XII. He was an alternate referee in Super Bowl XIII.
Tunney was also on the field for several of the most memorable games in football history, including the 1967 “Ice Bowl” in Green Bay, widely considered one of the greatest games in NFL history; the 1988 “Fog Bowl” between the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles; and the 1981 NFC championship match in which Dwight Clark (1957–2018) jumped and made a game-winning grab to put the San Francisco 49ers over the Dallas Cowboys, now known simply as “The Catch.”
Tunney retired after the 1990 season, though he remained active in the sport via the Jim Tunney Youth Foundation. He was named to the All-Madden Team that year, the first official to receive the honor, and in 1992 he received the Gold Whistle Award from the National Association of Sports Officials.
A former high school principal and superintendent, Tunney was also an author, penning “Chicken Soup for the Sports Fan’s Soul,” “It’s The Will, Not The Skill,” and two other books.
Tributes to Jim Tunney
Full obituary: NBC Sports
