Terry Killens, a former Tennessee Titans player, is preparing to make history as the first person to play in and officiate at the Super Bowl. From 1996 to 2000, the 49-year-old played for the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Titans. He served as a backup linebacker for the Titans in Super Bowl 34, according to WZTV.
Killens also played linebacker and defensive end for Penn State from 1992 to 1995, including the Nittany Lions’ last undefeated season in 1994. According to SI.com, Killens was a second-team all-Big Ten defensive end in 1995 and a third-round draft pick of the Houston Oilers in 1996.
Killens retired and became a football official in 2013. The Cincinnati native and Purcell Marian High School graduate has worked in collegiate football and the former American Alliance of Football before joining the NFL in 2019.
He has been named a member of the Super Bowl 58 officiating team. He will be one of eight umpires that will officiate Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas, where the Kansas City Chiefs will face the San Francisco 49ers.
His appointment follows the completion of his fifth regular season. As an umpire, one can see him behind the defensive line and a layer of linebackers. According to Yard Baker, his work entails detecting illegal blocks and holds.