Who are the Super Bowl Referees? Shawn Smith's Officiating Crew & Betting Trends
The players get all the glory come Super Bowl 60 between the Patriots and Seahawks, of course, but who are the guys in charge of making the tough calls on the big stage? Who are the Super Bowl referees? Let's discuss the crew headlined by Shawn Smith, who's making his debut in the Big Game.
🤔 Why does the referee choice matter for the Super Bowl?
In the Super Bowl, who’s wearing the stripes can matter almost as much as who’s wearing the pads - especially if you’re betting. The big question: will this crew put the flags away when it matters most? Head referee Shawn Smith is known for a more “let them play” approach, and with his games typically finishing with an average margin of just 4.9 points, all signs point to a tight, down-to-the-wire matchup on Feb. 8.
🏈 Who is refereeing the Super Bowl?
Here's a list of the officials for Super Bowl 60.
| Position | Official | SB experience |
|---|---|---|
| Referee (Head) | Shawn Smith | Debut (8th year as ref) |
| Umpire | Roy Ellison | 4th Super Bowl |
| Down judge | Dana McKenzie | 2nd Super Bowl |
| Line judge | Julian Mapp | Debut |
| Field judge | Jason Ledet | Debut |
| Side judge | Eugene Hall | 4th Super Bowl |
| Back judge | Greg Steed | 3rd Super Bowl |
| Replay official | Andrew Lambert | Debut |
📊 The Shawn Smith effect: Betting trends
- Underdog-friendly: Since Smith joined the officiating ranks in 2018, underdogs have quietly been cashing tickets, covering at a strong 55.3% rate in his games. That trend has been even louder in the postseason, where dogs are 5-2 ATS under his watch - and have pulled off four straight-up wins along the way. Yes, this is great news for the Patriots, who are sitting at +4.5 on our Super Bowl line report.
- Smith's average margin of victory is only 4.9 points.
- What about the favorites?: Favorites have still won outright at a 68% clip under Smith all-time. This season, favorites went 9-8 ATS in games officiated by Smith, making it the first time in six years that underdogs failed to post a winning record against the spread under his watch.
- Let 'em play: Smith is known for keeping the flag in his pocket. In 2025, he only called 29 offensive holding penalties - the second-fewest in the NFL. This favors Seattle, which thrive in the trenches.
- Penalties: Smith's penalties per game called (12.13) were below the league average of 12.52 this season.
- Smith's crew has called the sixth-lowest false starts per game (2.12).
- Roughing the passer: Smith is as conservative as it gets with "Roughing the passer" calls - he's only called three all season.
- The Under trend: Smith-officiated games at Levi's Stadium have trended toward the Under. The total has gone under the number three times in his last five games in San Fran.
🗒️ Shawn Smith history with Patriots vs. Seahawks
Which Super Bowl teams are thriving under Shawn Smith? Which struggle? The answers might surprise you.
The Patriots are 2-0 straight up and against the spread this season in games officiated by Shawn Smith, and Mike Vrabel-led teams are 6-3 straight up in games he's been the head referee. Seattle, meanwhile, has struggled under Smith's whistle, failing to cover the spread in three straight games. He has yet to ref a Seahawks game this season.
👻 Should bettors fear Shawn Smith?
How will Smith and his officiating crew affect the Super Bowl? And should bettors beware? Let's dive right past the caution tape:
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