Phil Luckett is a back judge in the National Football League. His number is number 59. He entered the NFL as a field judge in 1991, was a referee from 1997-2000, and has since returned to the back judge position (the NFL switched the titles of back judge and field judge in 1998). Luckett took a leave of absence from the NFL for the 2006 season. Having returned for 2007, Luckett is the Back Judge on Bill Carollo's crew. Luckett also refereed in the WLAF/NFL Europe, including being assigned World Bowl '97. The National Football League (NFL) is the largest and most prestigious professional American football league, consisting of thirty-two teams from American cities and regions. ... The 1991 NFL season was the 72nd regular season of the National Football League. ... The 2006 season of the National Football League (NFL) was the 87th one played by the major professional American football league in the United States. ... NFL Europe was originally founded in the spring of 1991 as the World League of American Football. ... NFL Europa is an American football league which operates in Europe. ... World Bowl 97 (or World Bowl V) was NFL Europes 1997 championship game. ...

Controversy

While in the NFL, Luckett has seen his share of controversy. Three of his most controversial NFL moments occurred within a span of fourteen months.

Thanksgiving, 1998

The first was an overtime coin toss on Thanksgiving, 1998 between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Detroit Lions. The referee microphone picked up Pittsburgh captain Jerome Bettis calling "heads." The toss was "tails", and Luckett called the Lions as the coin toss winners. Bettis insisted that he had called "tails", and Luckett insisted that (Bettis) had called "heads-tails," meaning that Bettis said "heads" first. The Steelers argued the call to no avail and Bettis denied Luckett's claim. The Lions scored a field goal on their first possession of the overtime to win the game, and Luckett was vilified in the sports world. Coin flipping or coin tossing is the practice of throwing a coin in the air to resolve a dispute between two parties or otherwise choose between two alternatives. ... The First Thanksgiving, painted by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (1863-1930). ... The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League. ... City Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Team colors Black and Gold Head Coach Mike Tomlin Owner Dan Rooney General manager Kevin Colbert League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1933–present) Eastern Division (1933–1943; 1945–1949) Western Division (1944) American Conference (1950–1952) Eastern Conference (1953–1969) Century Division (1967–1969) American Football... City Detroit, Michigan Team colors Honolulu Blue, Silver, and Black Head Coach Rod Marinelli Owner William Clay Ford, Sr. ... Jerome Abram Bettis, nicknamed The Bus (born February 16, 1972 in Detroit, Michigan), is a former American football halfback for the NFLs Pittsburgh Steelers. ...

Within a week, the game tape was enhanced, and Bettis is clearly heard saying "hea-tails." A sideline microphone enhancement also clearly had Bettis telling Coach Bill Cowher that (Bettis) had said "hea-tails."^[1] According to NFL rules, a team's first call is the one the referee will use. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Because of this incident, the captain's choice of heads or tails is now called before the coin is flipped, and the referee will generally state it over his microphone so that there is no dispute.

Vinny Testaverde

The second was a late touchdown scored by Vinny Testaverde of the New York Jets against the Seattle Seahawks on December 6, 1998. Testaverde attempted a quarterback sneak on 4th down in the final minute of the game and although television replays clearly showed the football did not cross the goal line, Head Linesman Earnie Frantz ruled that Testaverde had scored. However, the Jets helmet design includes a football and replays suggest that Testaverde's head did cross the line, possibly confusing Frantz. At the time, the NFL did not use instant replay to review officials' decisions. Luckett, as the head of the officiating crew that day, received bad publicity despite not actually making the erroneous ruling. The call would be cited as a major reason why the NFL reinstituted instant replay the following season. Vincent Frank Testaverde (born November 13, 1963 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American football quarterback for the National Football Leagues New England Patriots. ... City East Rutherford, New Jersey Other nicknames Gang Green, the Green and White Team colors Hunter Green and White Head Coach Eric Mangini Owner Woody Johnson General manager Mike Tannenbaum League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960-1969) Eastern Division (1960-1969) National Football League (1970–present) American Football Conference... City Seattle, Washington Team colors Pacific Blue, Navy Blue, Neon Green, White Head Coach Mike Holmgren Owner Paul Allen General manager Tim Ruskell Mascot Blitz, and Taima the augur hawk League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1976–present) American Football Conference (1977-2001) AFC West (1977-2001) National Football Conference... December 6 is the 340th day of the year (341st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League. ... For other uses of the term Instant replay, see Instant replay (disambiguation). ... For other uses of the term Instant replay, see Instant replay (disambiguation). ...

The "Music City Miracle"

The third was the Music City Miracle play during the playoff game between the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans on January 8, 2000. A lateral pass (by rule, a backward pass) thrown by Frank Wycheck to Kevin Dyson enabled Dyson to run 75 yards for a game-winning touchdown. The Bills alleged that the pass was actually a forward pass, and thus an illegal play that would have virtually clinched the game for the Bills. Instead, Luckett, after checking the replay, ruled the pass was thrown parallel to the 25-yard line thus making it a backward pass and the touchdown stood. NFL Films, with computer assistance, later concluded that the pass was, once and for all, a lateral. The Music City Miracle is a famous play in the NFL Playoffs involving the Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills that took place on January 8, 2000 (following the 1999 regular season) in Nashville, Tennessee. ... City Orchard Park, New York Team colors Navy blue, light blue, Red, light Red, White, Royal, and Nickel Head Coach Dick Jauron Owner Ralph Wilson General manager Marv Levy Mascot Billy Buffalo League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960-1969) Eastern Division (1960-1969) National Football League (1970–present) American... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... January 8 is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In American football and Canadian football a lateral pass — usually called simply a lateral, but officially called a backward pass in American football, and also called an onside pass in Canadian football — is a sideways or rearward throwing of the football to a teammate. ... Former NFL tight end Frank Wycheck Frank Wycheck is a former NFL and University of Maryland, College Park tight end. ... Kevin Tyree Dyson (born June 23, 1975 in Logan, Utah) is an NFL wide receiver most recently with the Washington Redskins and is also known as The Music City Miracle Man. ... NFL Films is a Mount Laurel, New Jersey-based company devoted to producing commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries on the National Football League, as well as other unrelated major events and awards shows. ...

Joe Horn

Luckett was in the news again in 2001 when he failed to get out of the way and was run over by New Orleans Saints wide receiver Joe Horn as he streaked downfield for a pass from Aaron Brooks during the Saints' game against the Carolina Panthers. The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Joseph Horn (born January 16, 1972 in New Haven, Conn. ... Aaron Lafette Brooks (born March 24, 1976 in Newport News, Virginia) is an American football quarterback in the NFL, who currently is a free agent. ... City Charlotte, North Carolina Other nicknames The Cardiac Cats Team colors Black, Panther Blue, and Silver Head Coach John Fox Owner Jerry Richardson General manager Marty Hurney Mascot Sir Purr League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1995–present) National Football Conference (1995-present) NFC West (1995-2001) NFC South (2002...

Reference

1. ^ Topp, Bill (1999-05). Heads or Tails?. Referee. Retrieved on 2007-03-17.