Tim Millis to receive NFLRA Annual Honoree Award

The NFL Referees Association (NFLRA) has announced that former NFL official and NFLRA Executive Director, Tim Millis, is the winner of the 2020 Honoree Award.

In a news release, the NFLRA says the award is to recognize Millis for his 13-year career as a NFL official and for his work as the leader of the officials’ union.

Millis joined the NFL in 1989 and spent his entire time as a field judge (then called back judge). He wore number 80 his entire career. He worked on crews lead by Johnny Grier, Larry Nemmers, Gerald Austin, Mike Carey, Dale Hamer and Bill Carollo.

In his career, he worked a total of 12 playoff games: one wild card, six divisionals, three conference championships and Super Bowls XXIX and XXXIII.

“I totally enjoyed my career as an on-field NFL official and my duties as the NFLRA Executive Director,” Millis said in the NFLRA news release. “It was a privilege to represent this elite group of officials when the union went before Commissioners Tagliabue and Goodell and their staffs, and receiving this award is a humbling and much appreciated honor.”

Perhaps the biggest call of his career was during the 1995 AFC Championship Game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Colts tried a Hail Mary pass. The clip shows how close the Colts came to a miracle win and Super Bowl berth. Remember, there was no instant replay and the call was all on Millis.

https://streamable.com/qt42ck

After retiring from the NFL, Millis served the college ranks as the Big 12 supervisor of officials. He then served as the executive director of the NFLRA from 2006-2013.

“There are few individuals who have made the impact on NFL officiating that Tim Millis has,” said NFLRA Executive Director Scott Green, who was President of the NFLRA during Millis’ tenure as Executive Director. “I was proud to work closely with him during the 2012 negotiations that involved a 115-day Lockout and saw first-hand his dedication to our union. His leadership during that time was key to our success.”

The NFLRA will recognize Millis at the April NFLRA annual meeting and awards banquet.