Ed Marion

Who was Ed Marion?

Ed Marion was an American official in the National Football League. Marion was in the league from 1960 to 1987 and officiated in Super Bowl V, IX and XI. He wore the number 26 for the majority of his career.

Marion is reviled by fans of the Minnesota Vikings for a call he made late in Super Bowl IX. With the Pittsburgh Steelers holding a tenuous 9–6 lead, Terry Bradshaw completed a 30–yard pass to tight end Larry Brown, but at the end of the play, several Vikings ripped the ball loose from Brown's grasp, and linebacker Jeff Siemon recovered for Minnesota. Marion, however, overruled the call of back judge Ray Douglas and field judge Dick Dolack, and instead ruled Brown down by contact. The Steelers kept possession and Bradshaw connected with Brown again for the clinching touchdown. John Facenda emphatically insisted Marion made the right call during his voice-over of the NFL Films official highlight video of the game.

Ed Marion is also reviled by Oakland Raiders fans for the bad call he made in the 1977 AFC Championship Game against the Denver Broncos, which likely prevented the Raiders from appearing in a second straight Super Bowl and having a dream match-up with the Dallas Cowboys. The score was still 7–3 midway through the third quarter. Denver drove to the Raider two yard line. But then Bronco fullback Rob Lytle was smacked in midair by Jack Tatum as Lytle dove over the pile, and the ball popped loose. Mike McCoy, a defensive tackle who played on goal-line defense, scooped it up and was running for a touchdown when the play was whistled dead. Although replays clearly showed that Lytle didn't have possession before he dove, Head Linesman Ed Marion ruled no fumble. The Raiders were also penalized for arguing the call. Denver scored on the next play, and went on to win the game 20–17.