Obituary
5-time Super Bowl official Al Jury passes away
Jury worked 26 seasons as a deep wing official
Al Jury, a multisport athlete, a multisport official (including 26 seasons in the NFL), and a retired California Highway Patrol officer, died Wednesday at the age of 83. Jury, who began his officiating career at age 18, worked in the NFL from 1978 to 2004 and wore number 106 for most of his officiating career.
Born August 22, 1941, the San Bernardino, California, native graduated from Pacific High School where he was a four-sport athlete. He began his officiating career in 1959, working high school basketball, baseball and football. Jury became a California Highway Patrol officer in 1969, and served in law enforcement for 28 years.
Jury’s officiating career took him to the Pac-8 in 1970. He joined the NFL in 1978 as a back judge, which is the deep wing position currently designated as field judge. (The field judge and back judge position names were swapped in 1998).
Highly accomplished pro official
Jury didn’t get a postseason assignment until the 1983 Pro Bowl. His first playoff game was a doozy. Jury’s first playoff game was the 1984 NFC Championship Game between the 49ers and the Bears. In total, Jury worked 21 playoff games: three wild card games, eight divisional playoffs, five conference championships and five Super Bowls (XX, XXII, XXIV, XXVIII, and XXXIV). His final Super Bowl call was the final play of Super Bowl XXXIV, where he marked the Tennessee Titans Kevin Dyson “one yard short.” (As as aside, Super Bowl LVIII umpire Terry Killens played for the Titans Super Bowl XXXIV, the first person to play and officiate in a Super Bowl.)
Jury’s number 106 is tied for third-place all time worn by Super Bowl officials (seven times). Only numbers 34 and 9 have been worn more.
— fzclips (@fzclips) November 8, 2024
Over the years, Jury worked on crews led by Don Wedge, Jerry Seeman, Chuck Heberling, Dick Hantak, Ben Dreith, Red Cashion, Pat Haggerty, and Ron Blum.
A complicated relationship with snowballs
In 1989, Jury was on the crew that officiated “Bounty Bowl II” between the Eagles and the Cowboys, mere weeks after the Eagles and Cowboys played in the original “Bounty Bowl.” It had snowed before the game, and Eagles fans enjoyed peppering the field with snowballs. One of those snowballs found Jury and knocked him down during a field goal attempt.
In 1995 the San Diego Chargers played the New York Giants at the Meadowlands in similar, snowy conditions. Fans started pelting the field with snowballs and even knocked a member of the Chargers support staff out cold. At the end of the game the officials left the field to a barrage of snowballs. Officials are taught to keep their cool, but Jury had enough. As he was shielding his face, he stuck his fist up in the air, raised one finger and … complimented the Giants fans on their snowball skills. The NFL fined Jury for the gesture.
Injury ends on-field career
Jury’s NFL career came to an abrupt halt in 2004 when he broke his leg during a game. He retired at the end of the season to become an assistant officiating supervisor and trainer, and served six years as a replay official. In 2013, he left the replay booth to work as an observer for the NFL.
The NFL presented Jury with the Art McNally Award in 2014.
Jury leaves behind his wife, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Our sympathies to all know knew him and loved him.
