UNDATED (AP) — A 12-year veteran NFL official who has been a referee since 2014 will handle his first Super Bowl on Sunday. Ron Torbert, a 58-year-old Harvard Law School graduate and former lawyer, will be the third Black referee for a Super Bowl. Mike Carey did the game in 2008 and Jerome Boger in 2013.
Torbert was a back judge and side judge for four seasons before being elevated to referee. Assignments for the postseason are given through a league grading system used throughout the regular season.
Also in the NFL:
—Rams offensive tackle Joe Noteboom and tight end Tyler Higbee have been placed on injured reserve and will be unavailable for Sunday’s Super Bowl against Cincinnati. Higbee hasn’t practiced since being injured in the NFC title game, and Noteboom practiced on a limited basis on Wednesday and Thursday before sitting out today’s workout. There were no setbacks for running back Darrell Henderson and defensive linemen Sebastian Joseph-Day, each of whom will be activated from IR.
— Giants coach Brian Daboll has hired the first woman to hold a coaching position in the team’s history along with a pair of coordinators. Among those announced to join the recently hired Daboll was Laura Young, who will be the team’s director of coaching operations. Mike Kafka will be the new offensive coordinator and Don “Wink” Martindale will run the defense.
