Fred Swearingen (September 25, 1921 - December 16, 2016) was a former official in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
, serving as both a referee and field judge from 1960 through 1980. He wore uniform number 21 for the majority of his career. He worked
Super Bowl XIII
Super Bowl XIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion ...
as a field judge, where he called a controversial pass interference against the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
'
Benny Barnes
Benny Jewell Barnes (born March 3, 1951) is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League for eleven seasons, all with the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Stanford University in the Pacific-8 Conference.
Ea ...
.
Swearingen owned and operated Swearingen's Sporting Goods in
Athens, Ohio
Athens is a city and the county seat of Athens County, Ohio. The population was 23,849 at the 2020 census. Located along the Hocking River within Appalachian Ohio about southeast of Columbus, Athens is best known as the home of Ohio Universit ...
, United States.
On December 23, 1972, Swearingen was the referee for an
AFC Divisional Playoff game between the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
and the
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
at
Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL).
Built ...
.
The game is famous for a play known as the
Immaculate Reception
The Immaculate Reception is one of the most famous plays in the history of American football. It occurred in the AFC divisional playoff game of the National Football League (NFL), between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders (now Las ...
. With 22 seconds remaining and Oakland leading 7–6, Pittsburgh was on its own 40-yard line on 4th and 10.
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw (born September 2, 1948) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League (NFL). Since 1994, he has been a television sports analyst an ...
threw to
John "Frenchy" Fuqua, but safety
Jack Tatum
John David Tatum (November 18, 1948 – July 27, 2010) was an American football safety. He played 10 seasons, from 1971 through 1980, with the Oakland Raiders and Houston Oilers in the National Football League (NFL). He was popularly known as " ...
collided with Fuqua sending the ball wobbling backward. Rookie running back
Franco Harris
Franco Harris (March 7, 1950 – December 20, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily for the Pittsburgh Steelers. A nine-time Pro Bowl selection ...
then scooped up the ball, running untouched into the end zone.
Under the rules at that time, there could not be a legal catch if the ball touched two offensive players, without also touching a defensive player. If the ball either bounced off both Tatum and Fuqua (in any order — or, contacted them simultaneously), or hit only Tatum, the catch would be legal. Swearingen consulted with umpire
Pat Harder
Marlin Martin “Pat” Harder (May 6, 1922 – September 6, 1992) was an American football player, playing fullback and kicker. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1993.
University of Wisconsin
After graduating from Wa ...
and field judge
Adrian Burk
Adrian Matthew Burk (December 14, 1927 – July 28, 2003) was an American football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore Colts and Philadelphia Eagles. After his playing career, he served as an official.
Playing ca ...
, who each reported* he had see the ball hit both Tatum and Fuqua, and then went to a sideline phone to consult with NFL supervisor of officials
Art McNally
Arthur Ignatius McNally (July 1, 1925 – January 1, 2023) was an American football executive who was director of officiating for the National Football League (NFL) from 1968 to 1991. Before becoming director of officiating—succeeding Mark ...
, who was in the press box. Swearingen emerged and made his ruling that the play was a touchdown. The Steelers went on to win 13–7.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Swearingen, Fred
1921 births
2016 deaths
National Football League officials
Ohio University alumni