GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A member of a West Michigan family of football officiating legends will be back on the field for this year’s Super Bowl.
Dino Paganelli, one of three brothers and a father who have officiated for years, will be a back judge in Super Bowl LVII, which will be played Feb. 12, the National Football League announced.
His father, Carl Paganelli Sr., was known as one of the founding fathers of officiating in West Michigan. He officiated football at the local, national and international levels for 58 years, according to the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame. He passed away in 2019.
Dino Paganelli and his brothers, Carl Jr. and Perry, have all been NFL officials, each officiating at least one Super Bowl. They were all inducted into the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame in 2018 as Outstanding Team Honorees.
Under the NFL officiating program’s evaluation system, officials must be rated in the top tier at their position to be eligible for the Super Bowl. They must have at least five years of NFL experience and previous playoff assignments.
