FOR USE AS DESIRED                            
            NFL-41               8/7/03

MONTGOMERY WINS ART MC NALLY AWARD FOR OFFICIALS

BEN MONTGOMERY, a 22-year NFL official who has worked as an umpire and line judge, is the winner of the second annual ART MC NALLY AWARD, NFL Commissioner PAUL TAGLIABUE announced today.

The McNally Award was created in 2002 by Commissioner Tagliabue to honor each year an NFL game official with at least 15 years of experience who exhibits exemplary professionalism, leadership and commitment to sportsmanship on and off the field.

The winner was selected by Commissioner Tagliabue and the NFL Officiating Department.  The 2003 award will be presented at the Pro Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii on February 8.     

“Ben Montgomery represents the qualities that Art McNally established as the standard for NFL officiating,” says Tagliabue.  “We deeply appreciate Ben’s dedication to the game and his professionalism and class on and off the field.”

After an on-field career as an NFL field judge and referee from 1959-67, McNally headed the NFL’s Officiating Department from 1968-90.  He was Supervisor of Officials from 1968-88, and Director of Officiating from 1989-90.  Since 1996, he has served the NFL as an assistant supervisor of officials during the season. 

Montgomery has been officiating football for 38 years.  He began in the NFL in 1982, starting as an NFL line judge before moving to umpire in 1985.  In 1992, he returned to the line judge position and has since served the NFL in that capacity. 

He has officiated in numerous playoff games and was the line judge in Super Bowl XXXII.

Montgomery was born in Atlanta, Georgia and graduated from Morehouse College in 1961, where he was a center on the football team for two years.

He is currently the director of facilities and administrative service at the Carlos Rosario International Career Center, an adult education center in Washington, DC.  Montgomery spent 16 years working as a school administrator in the Washington, DC public school system before his present position, and has been involved in the educational field for 40 years.