Art McNally, a former NFL referee and the first official to ever be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has died, his family announced on Monday.
Art's son, Tom, shared that his father, an on-field official for nine seasons, passed away on Sunday due to natural causes. He was 97 years old.
McNally, born in Pennsylvania, served as a field judge and ref in the NFL from 1959-1967. In 1968, McNally pivoted, becoming the NFL's director of officiating.
McNally's NFL career spans several decades -- and he's most revered for his work as director of officiating, where he implemented a program for evaluating officials using game footage.