Super Bowl Refs Are Paid an Impressive Amount To Make Those Difficult Calls on the Field

Even though the players who participate in any given Super Bowl game walk away with tens of thousands of dollars for their efforts, the referees are paid well too. And if you have ever wondered how much Super Bowl refs make after watching the big game, you aren’t alone. The good news is that it’s a little easier to become an NFL and Super Bowl ref than a professional player. The bad news? You have to have a lot of experience to even be considered for the Super Bowl.

The refs at Super Bowl games are under a lot of pressure. They have to make calls at the drop of a hat, and they often have coaches, players, and even fans in the crowds looking for ways to find that they are wrong. Sure, that’s the same for the refs of standard season games in the NFL. But there is a lot more at stake when it comes to the Super Bowl.

Each year, a handful of refs are chosen to handle the Super Bowl game. Unfortunately, the NFL does not release the actual facts and figures each year when it comes to how much the organization pays its professional refs. But, according to USA Today, in 2019, reports suggested that the yearly salary at that time was around $205,000. That doesn't include potential bonuses either.

The way the Super Bowl refs are chosen isn't as simple as putting in an application and hoping you hear back. According to the outlet, officials from the NFL keep an eye on the top performing refs all season in various games. Then, they are chosen for different roles as refs in the Super Bowl at the end of each season.

While the reported salary for a Super Bowl ref is impressive, there are other questions about the other costs that come with being a ref for NFl games, like travel and the costs related to that, since games are not played in one singular location all season. Refs reportedly earn stipends for travel expenses in addition to their salaries. Overall, though, refs who have been in the field (figuratively speaking, of course) can earn more money and more respect than NFL refs who are just starting out.

The longer a ref has been at it, the more money they stand to make at the professional level, whether they are chosen as a Super Bowl ref or not. And the refs chosen each year for the Super Bowl do change, so there is always room for improvement from refs who hope to make their name known on and off the field.

Super Bowl refs aren't the only ones walking away from the field with some hefty paychecks. Even if a team loses at the big game, each player can earn $96,000. The players on the winning Super Bowl team each take home $171,000.