Ferris State University alum Shawn Smith will be in the center of one of the largest sporting events in the world, serving as the lead on-field official for Super Bowl LX next month.

The NFL announced the big game crew earlier this week. Smith graduated from Ferris State in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in Accountancy.

“I’m humbled, but very excited by this opportunity,” Smith said. “So many people built the foundation for this to happen. A lot of folks created opportunities for me. I’m excited for the people at Ferris State, and the high school folks, and all the people who helped me along the way.”

He is in his 11th season as an NFL official and 8th as referee, which is the lead official, recognizable by the white cap. The referee manages the entire officiating crew, announces the penalties, and is the final authority on rulings. Super Bowl LX will be his 11th postseason assignment. 

Smith was the alternate referee for Super Bowls LV and LVIII, but the 2026 game will be his first on-field appearance at the championship. Last year, the Super Bowl set a viewership record with nearly 130 million viewers – the most-watched television program of 2025.

Smith got his start officiating Pop Warner games in junior high school and also officiated flag football at Eastern Michigan University. The Detroit-area native was recruited to run track and play football at EMU before transferring to Ferris State.

While at Ferris State, he began to officiate high school football and skipped over Division III college football straight to Division II. He was hired by the NFL in 2015.

Smith said he’s been pretty busy since the announcement.

“I’ve had probably a thousand text messages from people who heard the news,” he said on Wednesday. “I’m trying to get back to everyone. But every time I look, there are 100 more!”

Super Bowl LX will be held at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California on Feb. 8. The game will feature the winner of the NFC Championship (Seahawks vs. Rams) and the winner of the AFC Championship (Broncos vs. Patriots). Kickoff will be at 6:30 p.m.

_{Release and photo courtesy of Ferris State University.}