Rob Torbert, the head official at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Sunday, has had an extensive career in officiating. NFL referees earn between $205,000 and $250,000 annually, which includes their base salary and game fees. For postseason games, they receive additional pay, with Super Bowl assignments reportedly offering between $30,000 and $50,000, depending on experience.
Estimates are based on past collective bargaining agreements, since neither the NFL nor the NFL Referees Association has released current salary figures.
Torbert, who hails from Youngstown, Ohio, began his officiating career in 1989 at the high school level in Michigan. He worked his way up in college football to officiate for both the Mid-American Conference and Big Ten Conference before joining the NFL in 2010 as a side judge. In 2014, he was elevated to referee, where he officiated in several Super Bowls, including Super Bowl LVI in 2022 and Super Bowl LIX in 2025.
In addition to serving as an official for many years, Torbert is a graduate of Harvard Law School, and he has held leadership positions, such as serving as Vice President and General Counsel at the Michigan-based construction company Barton Malow. Community and professional service boards include service to the Legal Aid and Defender Association of Detroit, on its Board of Directors.