Former NFL referee Dale Hamer has passed away at the age of 87.
Hamer, who served as a ref before transitioning to the role of a replay official, is reported to have died on Friday.
The former veteran ref began his NFL career in 1978 and would be involved in over 400 games. He also worked 20 playoff games and two Super Bowls.
Hamer started as a head linesman before being promoted to head referee in 1989 after Fred Silva retired. He stepped away from football in 1995 due to a heart condition that required a risky operation, but was able to return the following year.
The California native reverted to the head linesman position in 1998, retiring from on-field work in 2001, though he stuck around as a replay official.
