Gordon McCarter

Who was Gordon McCarter?

Gordon McCarter was an American football official in the National Football League from 1967 to 1995. He joined the NFL as a line judge and back judge in 1967 before being promoted to referee with the start of the 1974 NFL season when Jack Reader was named Assistant Supervisor of Officials at NFL headquarters in New York City. McCarter is most likely remembered for a 1995 game in which Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher stuffed a Polaroid photo in McCarter's uniform pocket while leaving the field. McCarter wore the uniform number 48 for the majority of his career.

McCarter was a 1954 graduate of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio and was the star fullback and team captain on the school's football team in 1954 and also worked for the university from 1963 to 1977 as director of alumni affairs and registrar.

After officiating at school football games and amateur track meets, McCarter joined the NFL in 1967 and later was in charge of several disputed games during his last years in the league. McCarter retired from the NFL following the 1995 NFL season.

McCarter died on December 20, 2002, in Cleveland at the age of 71.