Mike Carey (American football)

Mike Carey (born March 15, 1949) is a former American football official in the National Football League (NFL). He was the first African American to serve as a Super Bowl referee, officiating Super Bowl XLII in 2008.

Carey's NFL officiating career spanned from 1990 to 2014. He wore uniform number 94. Before joining the NFL, he officiated college football games in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), the Big Sky Conference, and the Pacific-10 Conference.

After retiring from the NFL, Carey became a rules analyst for CBS Sports from 2014 to 2016. His role involved providing on-air interpretations of officiating calls during game broadcasts.

Carey is known for his decisive and authoritative style as a referee. His high-profile assignment to Super Bowl XLII cemented his legacy as a significant figure in NFL officiating history.