Early years Carey began officiating football in 1972 working
Pop Warner football games in the
San Diego, California, area after a suggestion by a friend. In addition to the Super Bowl, he has officiated two conference championship games, four divisional playoffs, and eight wild card games throughout his career as of the conclusion of the
2007-08 NFL playoffs. File:Mike Carey.jpg|thumb|alt=[Mike Carey]|NFL referee Mike CareyDecember 16, 2006 Carey has worked memorable games throughout his career, most notably during the
2005 NFL season. On October 3, 2005, Mike and Don Carey became the first brothers to officiate an NFL game together when they were assigned on the same officiating crew for the game between the
Carolina Panthers and
Green Bay Packers. The following week of the 2005 regular season on October 9, 2005, Carey was involved in a game between the
Baltimore Ravens and
Detroit Lions, which featured a pair of ejections and 21 penalties for the Ravens. In the third quarter with Detroit possession from Baltimore's 6 yard line,
Terrell Suggs was penalized for roughing Detroit
quarterback Joey Harrington following an incomplete
pass. Suggs then quickly approached Mike Carey to argue the call and was immediately ejected from the game. After the game, Carey spoke to reporters and said, "He bumped me with malice in his heart and he was gone. He said a number of things to me." Two months later at the start of overtime during a game between the
Detroit Lions and
Green Bay Packers in December 2005, Carey was unable to locate a coin to use for the
coin toss. He had given his coin to a child, who served as the Packers' honorary captain, at the game's opening kickoff. The field judge was able to supply Carey with a
penny. Carey was the referee during a
2005-06 playoff game between the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers and
Washington Redskins. At the conclusion of a play during this game, Redskins
safety Sean Taylor spat in the face of Buccaneers
running back Michael Pittman. Pittman retaliated with a slap to Taylor's
helmet. Carey could be heard through a live microphone immediately ejecting Taylor from the game. Head linesman Steve Stelljes conferred with Carey over Pittman's actions, but Carey decided not to penalize Pittman for his retaliation. When questioned about taking no action against Pittman by Redskins players, Carey said in response to being spat upon, "What would you do?"
Mike Pereira, the vice president of officiating, approved of Carey's handling of the incident saying that "offsetting personal fouls would not have been appropriate". Pereira added, "If anybody didn't eject somebody for spitting in somebody's face, I'd be disappointed." In an interview in August 2014, it was revealed that Carey had requested that the NFL not assign him to games featuring the Washington Redskins. A search of game logs revealed Carey had not worked a preseason or regular season game involving the Redskins since the opening week of the 2006 season.
Super Bowl XLII Nearly two years later, Carey was named referee of
Super Bowl XLII. On working the NFL's championship game, Carey said it was a "personal honor" and understood the historical significance of being the first African American referee. On the significance of the event, he said it was a "great sign of the evolution of our society that all barriers are eroding". During the fourth quarter, Carey's judgment was a factor in one of the
important plays of the game. On third down, with just over a minute left in regulation,
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning received the
snap in a
shotgun formation and looked to
pass the ball.
New England Patriots defenders
Richard Seymour,
Jarvis Green, and
Adalius Thomas grabbed and attempted to
tackle Manning. Manning escaped the two defenders and threw a 32-yard pass to
wide receiver David Tyree. Under NFL rules, officials are required to stop play when a player is "in the grasp and control" of the defense. Carey determined that "grasp and control" was never achieved since Manning's forward momentum did not stop. Speaking about the play, Carey said, "I anticipated a sack. I didn't assume that was going to happen, but rarely do you see a quarterback escape when he's got that much weight on his back and being dragged by two or three guys who had a hold of him. I could see [Manning's] head was just straight ahead. He was trying to break free with desperation. Then all of a sudden he spun out and then he started to come right back at me." ==Other work==