Super Bowl 2013 Has Pattonville Connection

Super Bowl XLVII, in New Orleans, will have a Pattonville connection.

Joe Larrew, a partner at , in Clayton has been a National Football League line judge since 2002, according to the website, Pro-Football Reference.com.

Larrew, who is also a municipal judge in Bridgeton, is the father of Pattonville High School graduates, including the late Jake Larrew, who died in a car accident while his father was away as part of an NFL officiating crew in 2003.

He confirmed with Patch that he will be part of the Super Bowl XLVII officiating crew on Sunday. Larrew's jersey number is 73. The NFL doesn't allow interviews of officials before a game.

Larrew has worked as an instructor at the Sioux Empire Football Officials Clinic, and is scheduled there this year.

The site also gives this background on Larrew:

Before the NFL, he worked in the Big Ten Conference and Gateway Conference, and spent three years in NFL-Europe. He was a play clock operator for the St. Louis Rams from 1995 – 2001.

Larrew's officiating career began in 1978 in the St. Louis area. He worked a Missouri State Championship game in 1990.

The Super Bowl XLVII officiating crew—which also includes Jerome Boger (referee); Darrell Jenkins (umpire); Steve Stelljes (head linesman); Byron Boston (line judge); Craig Wrolstad (field judge); Joe Larrew (side judge) and Dino Paganelli (back judge)—collectively has 77 years of NFL officiating experience and 50 combined playoff game assignments, the NFL release said.

Here's what else the NFL said in announcing the crew:

Under the NFL officiating program's evaluation system, the highest-rated eligible officials at each position earn the right to work the Super Bowl. Super Bowl officials must have at least five years of NFL experience and previous playoff assignments.

"We congratulate Jerome and his entire crew on being assigned to work at Super Bowl XLVII," said NFL Vice President of Officiating Carl Johnson. Just like the two competing teams, every member of this officiating crew has had an outstanding season and earned this honor. We are confident that they will have a great game on Sunday."

Editor Brian Feldt also contributed information for this story