Keith Washington '87 Refs Super Bowl LVI

Super Bowl LVI was the second most watched Super Bowl in history totaling 112.3 million viewers. However, what many of those viewers do not know is that a VMI alumnus was selected to referee the game. Keith Washington VMI Class of 1987 was selected to serve as the Line Judge in his first Super Bowl appearance. While at VMI, Washington was a Mathematics Major, a member of the VMI Football and Track Teams, and a member of the Promaji Club. Upon graduation, he was commissioned in the US Army. In his senior quote in the 1987 Bomb, Washington stated "It hasn't been an easy road, but its been worth the trip. I couldn't have made it without my friends or family". Washington has served as a Side Judge in 211 games since working for the NFL in 2008. The Side Judge is the referee who is located approximately 25 yards from the line of scrimmage who observes receiver movements and blocks, determines if a player runs out of bounds, and ensures there are no snap infractions on special teams. The most important job of a Side Judge is to determine if there is any type of pass interference during passing plays. Washington attributes his ability to remain calm under pressure to his time at VMI. "One of the real lessons learned was being able to focus when there is chaos around you; you still have to remain calm and execute," he stated in an interview. Washington called 4 penalties against the Cincinnati Bengals which cost them 31 yards while he called 2 penalties against the Los Angeles Rams which cost them 10 yards. In the end, the Los Angeles Rams, led by QB Matthew Stafford, denied the Cincinnati Bengals their first Super Bowl win with a score of 23-20. Following the end of the game, Washington took in the moment. It is an astounding achievement for everyone to make it to the Super Bowl whether one is a player, a coach, a reporter, an athletic trainer, or an NFL official. "We celebrated [with] each other. We all know how difficult [it is] to get to a Super Bowl … so, [I] wanted to enjoy that moment with this crew. No one can take this moment away from us," he stated. Congratulations to Keith Washington on this amazing accomplishment! Rah '87!