In the NFL every game holds weight, every call can change the momentum and every mistake is magnified. For Nicholls alumni Carl Johnson and Jason Ledet, both Thibodaux natives; that responsibility is the result of years of dedication, fairness and a love for the game.

Their journeys to the NFL were not smooth sailing. Many who find themselves officiating, were both drawn to the game early on and played football throughout high school – with Ledet playing football at Nicholls. “I did not see myself becoming an official, I thought I would be a big football star honestly,” Johnson said. 

Johnson received  football scholarship offers from Southeastern, Southern and a preferred walk-on from LSU. He said his mother encouraged him to attend Nicholls instead as she wanted him to stay close to home.

“When mentioning schools to my mother, I didn’t say Nicholls at the time, because I wanted to kind of fly out the coup. She said, ‘Didn’t the man from Nicholls offer you a baseball scholarship?’ I said, yeah he did ma. So she suggested I just stay close to home.”

Neither Ledet nor Johnson intended to become a referee when the job was first offered to them.

“I was working out at one of the local gyms and a buddy of mine invited me to a high school football officiating meeting the next month. That is how I got into coaching high school ball,” Ledet said. 

Johnson and Ledet had to work their way through the ranks of officiating, both going from high school, to the Southland Conference, to the Big 12 and finally to the NFL. It took years of hard work and determination to achieve that honor, Johnson spent 21 years officiating before he officiated an NFL game. It took Ledet 26 years to get to the NFL.

“It was beneficial to be able to go from the high school on to the Southland, then Big 12 and learn from veterans and ask questions about their pathway to the league,” said Ledet. “We have to show some patience because it took me longer than Carl did to get in the league, it’s not about how long you take to get there as long as you get there.”

For Johnson and Ledet, all it took to skyrocket their careers officiating was an opportunity, with both rising very quickly in the ranks. Johnson first refereed Super Bowl XLII in 2008 between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots in just his seventh year; highlighting that his favorite play he has ever been a part of was the “Helmet Catch.”

“The way Eli (Manning) escaped the claws of the defender, then (David) Tyree pinned the ball to his helmet and did not let it touch the ground, I don’t know how he did it and then with Rodney Harrison trying to rip the ball out.” Johnson continued, “I’m looking at my field judge Bo, we just came in and signaled first down. I told him after, we just witnessed probably the greatest play in NFL history.”

He later officiated Super Bowl LIV in 2020 between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers and Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals. Officiating a Super Bowl is the highest honor for a referee in the NFL and is only given to those with the highest grades in their position. The NFL recognized Ledet with this honor in the past Super Bowl between the Seattle Seahawks and the Patriots.

Ledet said he vividly remembers the moment he realized he would be selected to be a part of the officiating crew, on the field or as an alternate. NFL officials who are selected for the playoffs are given two assignments; from Wild Card Weekend, to the Divisional round, to Championship weekend and finally the Super Bowl.

“Everyone wants to be selected for the Divisional round because those are the ones they look at for the Super Bowl and I got it. I did not get a call for Championship weekend so what’s next? I’m either going to be an alternate or on the field,” Ledet said. “I got a call from Ramon George, the vice president of officiating, he said, ‘Hey Jason, what are you doing on February 8?’ I said, I’m cooking Jambalaya and watching the Super Bowl. He said, ‘How would you like to be on the field?’ I said, let’s go!”

Throughout their time officiating, Johnson and Ledet have dealt with scrutiny and backlash from fans, coaches and players. Johnson said he developed “alligator skin” and is understanding of the fact that emotions are high and often people say things they do not necessarily mean.

“It’s just a part of the game. Football is a game of emotion. We’re going to get criticized and those officials who don’t handle criticism, don’t stay in the league very long, because everybody’s emotional, the fans are emotional, the coaches, the players and we understand that,” Johnson said.

Officiating in the NFL is unlike anything else. The immense speed at which the game moves, makes the margin for error slim to none and one mistake can flip an entire game upside down. Referees understand their responsibility to integrity and hold themselves accountable as does the league with the grading system.

However, Ledet says for most officials there is no harder grader than themselves. “For me personally, along with looking at the grading system that we are required to, I constantly watch films and analyze myself. I look at every detail no matter how small; from eye discipline, to proper placement and of course making the right calls.”

In the end Johnson and Ledet are not just making calls, they are upholding the very integrity of the game that allows the sport to succeed. Every whistle, hand gesture and flag mean something more. For them, officiating is more than just a job, it is their true calling.

Johnson said, “Officiating was not my original plan in life, I honestly did not see it until I literally got the offer. But knowing what I know now I would not go back to change anything.”