Ronald Torbert (born January 1, 1964) is an American professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

official An official is someone who holds an office (function or Mandate (politics), mandate, regardless of whether it carries an actual Office, working space with it) in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority (eithe ...

in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL). He has been an official since the

2010 NFL season The 2010 NFL season was the 91st regular season (NFL), regular season of the National Football League (NFL) and the 45th of the Super Bowl era. The regular season began with the National Football League Kickoff game, NFL Kickoff game on NBC S ...

. He wears uniform number 62.

Early life

After graduating from South High School in Youngstown, Ohio, Torbert graduated from

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State or MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State o ...

and then attended

Harvard Law School Harvard Law School (HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, Harvard Law School is the oldest law school in continuous operation in the United ...

where he earned a JD. At Harvard, Torbert was president of the

Harvard Legal Aid Bureau The Harvard Legal Aid Bureau (HLAB) is the oldest Legal clinic, student-run legal services office in the United States, founded in 1913. The bureau is one of three honors societies at the law school, along with the ''Harvard Law Review'' and the Bo ...

Career

Torbert began his NFL officiating career in 2010 as a side judge before becoming a referee in the

2014 NFL season The 2014 NFL season was the 95th season in the history of the National Football League (NFL) and the 49th of the Super Bowl era. The season began on Thursday, September 4, 2014, with the annual kickoff game featuring the defending Super Bowl ...

after Scott Green and

Ron Winter Ronald J. Winter (born February 6, 1946) is a former American football official who officiated in the National Football League (NFL) from the 1995 through 2013 seasons. Winter previously served as a football official for the National Collegiate ...

announced they were retiring. Torbert is one of eight African-American referees in NFL history, after

Johnny Grier Johnny Grier (April 16, 1947 – March 8, 2022) was an American football official for 23 years in the National Football League (NFL) from 1981 to 2004. He began in the NFL as a field judge before becoming the first Black referee in the history ...

, Mike Carey,

Jerome Boger Jerome Leonard Boger ( ; born July 1, 1955) is a former American football official who worked in the National Football League (NFL) for the 2004 through 2022 seasons. He has worn uniform number 23 since 2006 NFL season, 2006; before that, he wo ...

, and Don Carey; he preceded Shawn Smith,

Adrian Hill Adrian Keith Graham Hill (24 March 1895 – 1977) was a British artist, writer, Art therapy, art therapist, educator and broadcaster. Hill served with the Honourable Artillery Company during World War I and was the first artist commissioned by ...

, and Tra Blake. Torbert was the alternate referee for

Super Bowl LIII Super Bowl LIII was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2018 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots defeated the National Football Confe ...

. He is also featured in the NFL 100 year anniversary video which aired during that Super Bowl. On January 25, 2022, Torbert was named the referee for

Super Bowl LVI Super Bowl LVI was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2021 NFL season, 2021 season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion 2021 Los Angeles Rams season, Los Angeles ...

. On January 21, 2025, he was named the referee for

Super Bowl LIX Super Bowl LIX was an American football championship game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2024 NFL season, 2024 season. In a rematch of Super Bowl LVII two years prior, the National Football Conf ...

2024 crew

* R: Ron Torbert * U: Barry Anderson * DJ: Frank LeBlanc * LJ: Brian Bolinger * FJ: Ryan Dickson * SJ: Keith Washington * BJ: Tony Josselyn * RO: Mike Chase * RA: Jamie Alfieri-Tuss Source:

Personal life

Outside of his NFL officiating job, Torbert was an attorney, retiring in 2019. With his wife Melanie, he has a son and a daughter.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Torbert, Ronald Living people NFL officials Michigan State University alumni African-American referees and umpires 1964 births Harvard Law School alumni 21st-century African-American people People from Youngstown, Ohio