Bill Carollo was an American football official in the National Football League (NFL) from 1989-2008, wearing the uniform number 63. Carollo has officiated in two Super Bowls (1996 and 2003) and five conference championship games (1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, and 2005)
Carollo is a native of Wisconsin and attended Brookfield Central High School in Brookfield, Wisconsin and later graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) in 1974 with a degree in industrial relations. At UWM, Carollo played quarterback from 1970 to 1973 before the football program was disbanded.
Prior to joining the NFL, he officiated high school football, basketball, and baseball in Wisconsin and later joined college football’s Big Ten Conference, where he stayed for ten years and included a selection to work the 1988 Rose Bowl Game. For a period of time, Carollo also served as the Milwaukee Brewers Official Scorer for the American League during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Carollo started in the NFL as a side judge and officiated Super Bowl XXX in 1996, which was his final game at that position before being promoted to referee (crew chief) for the start of the 1996 NFL season. Carollo was assigned to work his first post-season as referee during the 1998-99 NFL playoffs and later made his second appearance in the Super Bowl at Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003.
Outside of his NFL officiating duties, Carollo worked as an international account executive for 30 years at IBM and served as the director of the NFL Referees Association, the union representing NFL officials, from 2000 to March 1, 2006. He was the center of the negotiations that took place during the 2001 NFL season where there was a work stoppage by game officials. The NFL and its game officials eventually agreed on September 19, 2001 to a new six-year Collective Bargaining Agreement that ended a two-week lockout of the regular officials, who returned to work on September 23, 2001.
Carollo currently resides in Shorewood, Wisconsin and is married and has four children. He devotes his free time to family and golf.
Hi!
My son-in-law and I have been NFL fans for some time. A question has come up with regard to “intentional grounding”. We are aware of the stipulations re- out of the box, receiver in the area, ball reaching the line of scrimmage etc. , the question we have is why spiking the ball is NOT intentional grounding? Can you help? Thanks. Peter. Barrie,Ontario.
Hey Peter.
Bill Carollo actually doesn’t ref anymore, but thats a moot point.
If you look at the spike formation, there are generally 2 TE, and probably an RB all within 10 yds of the QB, thus it is not IG, since IG is only called when there is not a reciever in the area.
That help at all?
I’d like to conduct an interview with Mr. Carollo.
Could I please get contact information?
This website isn’t for contacting them, just discussing stuff…
try the nfl office…
I am not the greatest fan of Denver Bronco but to tell the truth at the Philadelphia Eagles when they made they removed the Bronco for touching the referee he first had a right to complain it was shown on television more than one time and if you call that a touch of an official then you are getting just a little out of line it did not even move the referee hand and he was frustrated. When your people caused the Seattle Seahawks to loose the Superbowl I realized I would never believe your officials were not bias at which team would win. I have seen too many call that should have been called like right now a call should have gone against the eagles for a late hit but if it went the other way it would have been called. I could sit here and continue as the game goes on but I am so tired of watching one sided call against the bronco on this games as long with calls against others games I have been able to watch I feel you should look into the problem but of course I am only one person so really you do not feel I count well someday you will find I do count as I will start making comments to the paper about the referee as I see it and I will make sure you will not be able to come after me.
Bill Carollo should be investigated and imprisoned. There is no clearer case of cheating than the 99 championship where Carollo ruled a no-catch that was obviously a catch! CHEATER!!!
hahaha david seriously. thats over a decade ago, let’s chill out.
Have never seen a more one sided officiated game than the Michigan game at Iowa. Were the referees paid off…or just Iowa fans!
Please look at the tapes and take the necessary disciplinary actions…. 4 missed pass interference calls including the last play of the game…obvious stuff, a touch down that was clearly a catch called off. Clocks that didn’t stop on a first down. Michigan clearly got cheated out of the game. Someone needs to take action. I’ll donate to two big ten schools on a regular basis…but will stop that until the conference takes action and can deliver unbiased, honest officiating.
This was a terrible cheat! Look at the tapes.
This website has no affiliation to the Big Ten, thus if you are being serious about your concerns, you’ll want to take them elsewhere.
I thought it was a very fairly called game, personally, and there was definitely no PI on the last play. The DB broke to the ball.