in 1980. In 1980, Botchan joined the NFL as a line judge because no openings were available as an umpire. As a rookie, he received a rare opportunity to officiate a playoff game due to having a successful season. Historically, rookie officials in the NFL do not participate in the playoffs. An opportunity opened up for Botchan the following year at the umpire position, which he accepted, and stayed for the remainder of his career in the league. His last game was a National Football Conference (NFC) Championship Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and St. Louis Rams on January 27, 2002, and his final appearance was at Super Bowl XXXVI on February 3, 2002, as an alternate official. Botchan served as an assistant supervisor of officials for the NFL. Notable events Botchan five Super Bowls is tied with NFL officials Tom Kelleher, Jack Fette, and Al Jury. Worked Super Bowl XXXIV that involved the final play in which the Tennessee Titans came up one yard short from tying the score against the St. Louis Rams. The play would become known as "The Tackle". During a game in the late 1990s, Botchan was knocked to the ground and suffered a cut to his head. He continued without missing a single play of the game, but later required eight stitches. Botchan once proposed a helmet designed to look like an officials' hat worn by the umpire to protect against head injuries. Was a mentor to Matt Millen (former NFL player, television commentator, later General Manager of the Detroit Lions), who trained to become an official during a 2000 NFL pre-season game in Foxboro, Massachusetts, to demonstrate the "Ump Cam" used by Fox Sports to television viewers. The "Ump Cam" was a small camera placed on the bill of the official's cap to bring the action closer to the television audience. Botchan was the umpire during a 1988 NFL season game on December 31 between the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears at Soldier Field played under heavy fog. This game became known in NFL lore as the "Fog Bowl". In 1997 he was inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. See also List of American Football League players List of Super Bowl officials References 1935 births 2021 deaths Belmont High School (Los Angeles) alumni National Football League officials Houston Oilers players Los Angeles Chargers players Occidental Tigers football players Los