This isn’t Foot Locker
Carl Cheffers will be the referee for Super Bowl LI, a source confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday.
The NFL has not yet made a formal announcement. The website Football Zebras also confirmed Cheffers’ assignment.
Cheffers was the referee for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 18- 16 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, a game that included a controversial holding penalty on Chiefs left tackle Eric Fisher that wiped out a two- point conversion which would have tied the game at 18- 18 with 2: 43 left in the game.
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was livid about the call after the game.
“Referee No. 51 shouldn’t even be able to wear a zebra jersey ever again,” Kelce said, referring to Cheffers’ jersey number. “He shouldn’t even be able to work at [ expletive] Foot Locker.”
On Monday, Chiefs Coach Andy Reid said he also disagreed with the call.
“It really doesn’t matter now that we’re sitting here. I don’t want to be fined any money but I would tell you I was probably leaning the other way. I thought Fish did what he needed to do on that particular block to get that done, and the problem is when [ James Harrison] slipped, it can look worse than it is.
“I know Fish is going to have a lot of eyes on him for that call, and I’m not sure I completely agree with what took place, but it did. The call was made and we live with that.”