From Detroit's Cody High School to coin toss: NFL referee Shawn Smith talks Super Bowl journey

Two days after the confetti fell on Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, one Detroit native is still processing the weekend of a lifetime.

While the Seattle Seahawks were busy dismantling the New England Patriots in a 29–13 win, referee Shawn Smith was the man in the middle, wearing the "white hat" for the first time on the world's biggest stage.

Smith is one of only a handful of Black referees in NFL history to lead a Super Bowl crew. 

The road to Super Bowl LX didn't start in the NFL; it started on the fields of Cody High School in Detroit.

Smith began officiating Pop Warner games while still in junior high. He was later a track athlete at Eastern Michigan University, where he also refereed intramural flag football, before transferring to Ferris State University to earn his degree in accountancy. He bypassed the traditional route, jumping from high school ball straight to Division II, eventually reaching the NFL in 2015.

Despite a decade of experience and eight seasons as a lead referee, Smith admitted that the pre-game jitters were real. Standing at midfield alongside NFL legend Joe Montana for the ceremonial coin toss, Smith felt the weight of 125 million viewers.

"The coin toss was the most nerve-wracking part," Smith said. "But once that first whistle blew, everything settled in. It was just another football game."

Analysts and fans alike praised Smith's crew for their calm presence during a game that featured a record-breaking seven sacks by the Seahawks' defense.

Smith says he has been overwhelmed by the support he has received from friends and family around the world. It's something that makes this special memory even better.