- Bernie Kukar
Bernie Kukar (born in
Gilbert, Minnesota ) is a formerAmerican football official in theNational Football League (NFL) for 22 seasons from the 1984 to the 2005 season. [cite book | title=2006 NFL Record and Fact Book | id=ISBN 1-933405-32-5 | pages=760] He wore uniform number 86.He was born and raised in Gilbert, Minnesota and later attended college at Saint John's University in
Collegeville, Minnesota where he graduated in 1962. He played football at Saint John's underJohn Gagliardi , the all-time winningest coach in collegiate football history. Bernie played defensive back on defense and quarterback on offense, but was later moved to running back. He also returned punts and kicks.He began his NFL officiating career in 1984 as a back judge and was promoted to referee seven years later at the start of the
1991 NFL season . His promotion to referee came after the retirement of the "Dean of Referees", Jim Tunney and the promotion ofJerry Seeman to the Director of Officiating in the NFL office. Prior to joining the NFL, he officiated four years at the high school level, and a total of 19 years at the college level with four years atDivision III , 11 years atDivision II , and four years in theBig Ten Conference (Division I ).He was selected to officiate in the
Super Bowl twice,Super Bowl XXXIII in 1999, andSuper Bowl XXXVI in 2002. He was also an alternate inSuper Bowl XXX in 1996. Kukar is best-known for his thickMinnesota accent and pronunciation ofpersonal foul ("personal fall").Notes
External links
*cite news|firstname=Mitch|lastname=Dorr|url=http://www.grandmarais-mn.com/placed/index.php?sect_rank=2&story_id=205591 |title=The North Shore's a great call for this NFL referee|publisher=Cook County News-Herald|date=
2005-07-21 |accessdate=2006-05-11
*cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story/8841603|title=Crazy Train|date=2005-09-13 |author=Eisen, Rich|publisher=NFL.com|accessdate=2006-05-11
*cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/8899137|title=Time for praise|date=2005-09-27 |author=Eisen, Rich|publisher=NFL.com|accessdate=2006-05-11
*cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story/8979727|title=Be aggressive|date=2005-10-18 |author=Eisen, Rich|publisher=NFL.com|accessdate=2006-05-11
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