Green started in the NFL as a
field judge with the start of the
1991 NFL season before switching to back judge after the league swapped position titles at the start of the
1998 NFL season. Green worked Super Bowl XXXVI on February 3, 2002, as a back judge, Super Bowl XXXVIII on February 1, 2004, also as a back judge, and Super Bowl XLIV on February 7, 2010, as referee. His last assignment was the Pro Bowl on January 26, 2014, in Honolulu as referee. Green wore uniform number 19, now worn by
Clay Martin.
Back judge Green was considered by some to be the top back judge in the league. During a
New York Giants and
San Francisco 49ers Wild Card playoff game in January 2003. Green did not realize that New York's
Rich Seubert had lined up legally in a receiver's spot and failed to award a penalty when he was interfered with following an attempted field goal, instead penalizing him. It was later announced that officiating mechanics surrounding field-goal attempts and last plays of games would be changed.
Promotion to referee He became a referee on a part-time basis during the
2004 NFL season when referee
Johnny Grier was injured. Green became a full-time referee at the start of the
2005 NFL season after Grier was forced to retire due to a leg injury. Green's first experience as an NFL referee came on October 3, 2004, during a game between the
New England Patriots and the
Buffalo Bills. Green's 2013 NFL officiating crew consisted of umpire Bruce Stritesky, head linesman Tom Stabile, line judge Mike Spanier, field judge Boris Cheek, side judge Larry Rose, and back judge Scott Helverson. During an NFL game he was officiating between the
Pittsburgh Steelers and
San Diego Chargers in 2008, Green ruled a lateral play by the Steelers as illegal, a decision he later conceded was wrong. The incident has prompted the NFL to discuss "potential administrative improvements for replay that would help to prevent this type of mistake in the future." ==References==