Bill Carollo
William F. Carollo | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 27, 1951 Brookfield, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | American football official, coordinator of officials |
| Years active | 1989–2008 (NFL official) |
| Known for | NFL referee, officiated two Super Bowls, Coordinator of Officials for Collegiate Officiating Consortium |
William F. Carollo (born November 27, 1951) is a retired American football official who officiated in the National Football League (NFL) from 1989 until 2008, donning uniform number 63. Throughout his career, he participated as an official in two Super Bowl games and eight conference championship matchups. Following the conclusion of the 2008 season, Carollo transitioned to the role of Coordinator of Football Officials for the Big Ten Conference and currently holds the position of Coordinator of Officials for the Collegiate Officiating Consortium (COC).
Early life
Originally from Brookfield, Wisconsin, Carollo completed his education at Brookfield Central High School in 1970. He later graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UWM) in 1974 with a degree in industrial relations. During his college years, he was the starting quarterback for UWM’s football team from 1970 through 1973.
Family
Carollo lives in Shorewood, Wisconsin, is married, and has four children.
Other professions
Prior to embarking on his officiating career, Carollo dedicated three decades as an international account executive at IBM. Subsequently, he held the position of Vice President of Global Sales at Manpower Inc. based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Early years
Carollo’s officiating journey began with Wisconsin high school sports, including football, basketball, and baseball. He then advanced to officiate college football within the Big Ten Conference, where he spent ten years and worked notable games such as the 1988 Rose Bowl Game. Additionally, he served as a basketball referee from 1982 to 1988 and acted as the official scorer for the Milwaukee Brewers during their American League tenure.
National Football League
Carollo entered the NFL ranks as a side judge and officiated Super Bowl XXX in 1996. The following year, after several senior officials retired, he was promoted to referee (crew chief). His first postseason leadership came during the 1998-99 NFL playoffs. He also officiated Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003 and was praised by NFL officiating director Mike Pereira for his adept game management. Carollo served as alternate referee for Super Bowl XXXVIII as well.
One of Carollo’s most notable moments occurred during the 1999 NFC Championship, when he overturned a catch by Tampa Bay’s Bert Emanuel. This decision prompted the implementation of the "Bert Emanuel Rule," which refined catch criteria to avoid similar disputes.
From 2000 to 2006, Carollo was the director of the NFL Referees Association, playing an instrumental role in negotiating a six-year Collective Bargaining Agreement that concluded a two-week officials’ lockout during the 2001 season.
He officiated the Houston Texans’ first-ever game against the Dallas Cowboys on September 8, 2002. In November 2007, due to another official’s illness, Carollo became the first NFL referee in over three decades to oversee consecutive weekly games featuring the same team.
In August 2008, Carollo announced his retirement from NFL officiating to accept the position of Director of Officiating for the Big Ten Conference. His final NFL assignment was the AFC Championship between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens in January 2009. Don Carey succeeded him as crew chief.
During his twenty-year tenure in the NFL, Carollo officiated two Super Bowls, acted as alternate referee for a third, managed eight Conference Championship games, and worked one Pro Bowl. Presently, he coordinates officials for the Collegiate Officiating Consortium (COC), which encompasses conferences such as the Big Ten, Mid-American, and Missouri Valley Football conferences. Founded in 2009, the COC is headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois.