First Asian American among NFL’s 10 new on-field officials

| American Football | 05/08/2022

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL has hired 10 new on-field officials, including the first Asian American to officiate in the league and a former player.

Lo van Pham joins the NFL from the Big 12 Conference. He was born in Vietnam and after a stop in the Philippines, moved to the United States when he was seven.

Mike Morton becomes the third former NFL player on the 2022 roster of officials, joining Nate Jones and Terry Killens. Morton was drafted in the fourth round in 1995 by the Raiders and was a linebacker for them from 1995-98. He also played in St. Louis, Green Bay (2000), and Indianapolis during his seven-year NFL career.

Robin DeLorenzo becomes the third woman on the NFL’s roster of on-field game officials joining Sarah Thomas and Maia Chaka. She joins the NFL from the Big Ten Conference.

Tra Boger, the son of longtime NFL referee Jerome Boger, joins the league as a field judge out of the SEC. They are the only current father-son combination on the roster.

Down judge Max Causey, umpires Brandon Cruse, Duane Heydt and Alex Moore, field judge Alonzo Ramsey and side judge Jeff Shears round out the 10.

The league previously announced the promotion of Tra Blake to referee. Blake replaced the retired Tony Corrente.

The NFL also announced Tuesday that Denise Crudup and Artenzia Young-Seigler are the first Black female replay officials.

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