Johnny Grier (1947–2022), first black referee in the NFL 

Johnny Grier became the first black referee in NFL history at the start of the 1988 season.   

• Died: Tuesday, March 8, 2022. (Who else died on March 8?)
• Details of death: Died at the age of 74.
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Pioneering NFL referee 

Johnny Grier started out as a referee in high school football, moved on to college football, and joined the NFL as a field judge in 1981. He was a field judge for Super Bowl XII in 1988. Grier was promoted to referee for the start of the 1988 season, becoming the NFL’s first black referee. He worked 15 playoff games during his career, retiring as a referee in in 2004 from a leg injury. He then became an officiating supervisor for the NFL.

Tributes to Johnny Grier     

Full Obituary: Sports Illustrated

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