When the ball is kicked off for Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8, the spotlight will shine not only on the players but also on three HBCU alumni who are officials entrusted with calling the biggest game in sports. Roy Ellison, Julian Mapp, and Greg Steed will take their places on the seven-man officiating crew, a powerful reminder that HBCUs shape the NFL beyond the sidelines.

Each official holds a critical role in the field operations of the championship game. Ellison, a Savannah State University graduate, serves as the umpire. His responsibilities include reviewing player equipment, counting offensive personnel, and monitoring the line of scrimmage for offensive holding. Ellison has been an official for 23 years.Representing Grambling State University, Mapp serves as the line judge, responsible for monitoring the line for offsides and encroachment while also counting defensive personnel. This game represents the biggest milestone in Mapp's 17-season officiating career. 

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Steed, a Howard University alumnus, will serve as the back judge. He’s is tasked with counting defensive players, managing the game clock, and overseeing television breaks. Now in his 23rd season, Steed is recognized as one of the league's most trusted officials in the secondary. Super Bowl LX marks his third time officiating the title game.

The presence of these three men follows a lineage of HBCU pioneers in officiating, such as Johnny Grier, the first Black NFL referee, who worked Super Bowl XXII in 1988, the same year that Grambling alumnus Doug Williams became the first Black starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl and be named its MVP

The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks will meet in a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX. The Patriots advanced to their 11th Super Bowl after defeating the Denver Broncos 10-7, while the Seahawks secured their fourth appearance with a 31-27 victory over the Los Angeles Rams. Both rosters and coaching staff feature deep ties to HBCUs.

Terrell Jennings is the only player with HBCU ties in this year’s game. The Patriots running back played for Florida A&M University from 2019 to 2023, where he recorded 1,754 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns. Jennings helped lead the Rattlers to a SWAC championship and a Celebration Bowl victory in his final collegiate season. After going undrafted in 2024, Jennings worked his way from the practice squad to the active roster, scoring his first professional touchdown on Nov. 2 against the Atlanta Falcons. Though currently on injured reserve following a concussion, Jennings remains a key part of the Patriots' season narrative.

The Patriots' coaching staff also features significant HBCU representation. Terrell Williams spent three years on the coaching staff at North Carolina A&T, helping the Aggies win a Black College National Championship in 1999. Williams has coached in the NFL for 13 years, though he was away from the team for much of this season while being treated for prostate cancer.

In his absence, inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr has handled defensive play-calling duties. Kuhr’s first collegiate coaching opportunity came at Edward Waters University, where he served as offensive coordinator in 2009. Additionally, defensive assistant Milton Patterson is a Jackson State University alumnus who played linebacker for the Tigers before joining their coaching staff in 2012. Patterson also coached at Alabama State and Florida A&M before joining the Patriots this season.

The Seattle Seahawks are led by veteran coach Leslie Frazier, who serves as assistant head coach. Frazier was a standout defensive back at Alcorn State University, setting a school record with nine interceptions in a single season. After a professional playing career with the Chicago Bears that included a victory in Super Bowl XX, Frazier transitioned to coaching.

Joining Frazier on the Seahawks' staff is offensive assistant Quinshon Odom. An alumnus of Shaw University, Odom played quarterback for the Bears and led them to a CIAA championship in 2010. After coaching at the collegiate level and holding a Bill Walsh Coaching Fellowship with the Buffalo Bills, Odom is making his first Super Bowl appearance in his second season with Seattle.