Art McNally, the first on-field NFL official to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, passed away on Sunday aged 97.
The tragic news was confirmed by one of his four children, son Tom, on Monday. No cause of death has been released as of yet.
In 2022, McNally was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, becoming the first game official to receive such an honour. He served as an official in the NFL from 1968 to 1991, while he officiated in over 3,000 football, baseball and basketball games during his 22-year career, including one year in the NBA.
”Art McNally was an extraordinary man, the epitome of integrity and class,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “Throughout his distinguished officiating career, he earned the eternal respect of the entire football community.
“Fittingly, he was the first game official enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. But more importantly, he was a Hall of Fame person in absolutely every way.
“Our thoughts go out to his wife, Sharon, his children Marybeth, Tom, and Michael, and his grandchildren.”
According to his own records, McNally officiated 3,145 games across multiple sports and made it a priority not to be in the spotlight. However, he became known as the ‘father of instant replay’ as he is credited with introducing the system and technology to the NFL.
He served as an NFL official for nine years before being named the league’s director of officiating in 1968. McNally moulded standards for the scouting, screening, hiring and ultimately grading of the officiating teams.
McNally retired in 1991 but returned to the league and held multiple other roles until he finally stepped away in 2013. Remarkably, he never allowed himself to support an NFL team to ensure his integrity couldn’t be questioned.
“Art McNally was a quiet, honest man of integrity,” Pro Football Hall of Fame President Jim Porter said in a statement. “To see Art’s decades of service recognised with his enshrinement as part of the Class of 2022 was a special moment for the Hall.
“His legacy as a strong leader who helped usher in the advanced training of officials and the technology necessary to keep up with a faster and more complicated game will be preserved forever in Canton.”
