The Tennessee Titans will not play in Sunday’s epic Super Bowl clash, but that doesn’t mean one of their own won’t stand to make history. Per Front Office Sports, former Tennessee linebacker Terry Killens will become the first person ever to play and officiate in a Super Bowl.
Today, Terry Killens will become the first person to both play in and officiate a Super Bowl. pic.twitter.com/wD5yDsMZX5
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) February 11, 2024
Killens will be a part of Bill Vinovich’s referee crew, his third as a Super Bowl officiate. Killens, down judge Patrick Holt, line judge Mark Perlman, field judge Tom Hill, back judge Brad Freeman, replay referee Mike Chase, and sideline official Allen Baynes will join Vinovich in Sunday’s battle between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LVIII.
Terry Killens: Former Tennessee Titans Linebacker
Killens played for the Penn State Nittany Lions before the Houston Oilers selected him with the 74th overall pick in the 1996 draft. Killens played sparingly until the 1999 season, when he registered 32 tackles, three passes defended, and a fumble recovery. The Tennessee Titans (previously known as the Oilers) made the Super Bowl that season, eventually losing to the St. Louis Rams 23-16. The six-foot-one linebacker had five tackles during his team’s playoff run.
Killens spent one more season with the Titans before heading to the San Francisco 49ers. He had 28 tackles before landing with the Seattle Seahawks in 2002, his final year in the NFL.
Killens: Shifts to Officiating Post-Playing Career
Killens became an official in 2013, working in the American Athletic Conference. He shifted to the Alliance of American Football in 2019, a now former professional league. After a short stint in the AAF, Killens transitioned to the NFL. He wears jersey No. 77, previously worked by multi-time Super Bowl referee Terry McAulay and now-media personality Mike Pereira.
With the kick-off on Sunday, Killens will become the first person to play and officiate in the Super Bowl. The last time Killens appeared in the Super Bowl, the Titans and Rams clashed for an all-time. Rams defender Mike Jones made a game-saving tackle on Kevin Dyson to finish the game, bringing down the receiver at the one-yard line when the game clock expired.
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