Usually, when NFL referees go viral it’s almost always because of a controversial call. It’s not often that NFL fans are captivated by an official during games. Tyree Walton became the exception this past Sunday. He grabbed a lot of attention running alongside Vikings WR Justin Jefferson who made the best play of the game.
It was certainly a sight to watch, not just because of Jefferson’s electric 97-yard touchdown reception, but because Walton seemingly kept with the pace of the star wide receiver.
Walton’s incredible display of athleticism on a stage full of professional athletes showed that the referees aren’t too far behind on the scale of fitness.
Stealing the Spotlight From Justin Jefferson’s 97-yard TD
The NFL Back Judge went viral for seemingly making the 49ers’ safeties appear slower than him. And it took no time for the fans to find out who the official was.
The play in question was in the second quarter of the game when Sam Darnold threw a 54-yard missile from his own endzone that landed right in the hands of Justin Jefferson. The star wide receiver took it for a touchdown against the Niners safeties George Odum and Ji’Ayir Brown.
However, Walton was seen switching gears right across the screen. He even changed directions so swiftly that it made Justin Jefferson’s highlight of the day appear not so special anymore.
“That was unbelievable,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said about the viral video. “And the sneaky change of direction there, to flip his hips at the end. I showed the team that a little bit ago, and they were having a good time with that.”
Even fans were left captivated by the run as the X community started buzzing with reactions to Walton’s run. Internet sleuths too switched gears to find out that the Back Judge was once a DII athlete himself.
Day Job As a Wealth Advisor At U.S. Bank
It is no surprise that for NFL referees, officiating is a job to quench the thirst of their most passionate weekends. And Tyree Walton just like any other official works a day job, hiding behind plain sight.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Walton works as the Vice President, Private Wealth Advisor at U.S. Bank. He has 15 years of experience in the field of finance since he has been working at the U.S. Bank since 2009.
He has admittedly learned to articulate himself well as an official on the field making split-second decisions and then justifying them, which is a skill he uses in his day job as a wealth manager.
“When a coach asks you a question, being able to articulate what you saw or what your responsibility was on a certain play is critical,” he said. “Officiating very quickly taught me that the most important thing is communication, and the same thing applies when you’re dealing with customers.”
It does not take an expert to deduce that Tyree Walton, has had an athletic past. It started in his childhood as he loved playing football which even earned him a scholarship at Adams State University.
Tyree Walton: Education
Tyree attended Adams State University in Alamosa, Colorado from 2004 to 2008. He completed his degree in Bachelor of Business Administration, which later landed him a job as a personal banker at U.S. Bank in 2009.
He even played running back for the team, however, he didnt make it big in football. But life gave him another chance to get back in the gridiron in a different capacity.
Upon graduating Tyree moved to Denver where he was working as a pizza delivery person. Which led him to meet an NFL official.
How Did Walton Start Officiating?
Tyree’s random conversation with a stranger while working at a Pizza shop seemingly changed his life for good. As fate would have it, Walton met with an NFL official one day who gave him an insight into the requirement of young talent in college football and how working games would be one way for him to get back to football.
Walton lost no time and he quickly started working his way into officiating. He started his football career in 2008 officiating Youth and High School games throughout Colorado.
Tyree Walton: Officiating History
Walton climbed the officiating ladder by becoming an official at the Division II Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. In 2016, he was named RMAC Football Official of the Year for his attention to detail and his excellence on the field.
In 2016 he worked the Semi-Finals of the DII National Championship. He also got a taste of officiating DI College Football that same year and he worked in two Mountain West and four Southland games.
In 2017, Walton was presented with a massive opportunity as he received a call from Greg Burks to join the Mountain West Conference as a Center Judge. Tyree then went on to work the Conference Championship game and the Military Bowl.
He soon joined the Big-12 conference where he officiated in the fall while keeping himself busy during offseasons by working the XFL games.
“The transition from player to official was humbling very quickly in the hardest way possible,” he said. “When you’re an official, you show up to the stadium and it’s no longer about you. No one is there to watch you officiate. But you can easily translate that lesson to life, and realizing at a certain point that it isn’t about you but the people you can impact.”
He moved to the NFL in the 2023 season when he officiated 16 games as a Back Judge. Moreover, it took him only two weeks into the 2024 season to catch the attention of the fans. His commitment to excellence has time and time again made him the center of attention.
How Fast Was Tyree Moving?
Tyree Walton’s speed and movement were simply commendable especially when considering how fast Justin Jefferson is with the ball and how Tyree made it look doable.
To put things in perspective, Justin Jefferson clocked 19.94 mph during that touchdown reception. One could simply do the math that Walton with that run wasn’t too far behind.
The former DII athlete pays close attention to the mental and physical aspects of officiating. He is a big proponent of working on muscle memory during the off-seasons so that he doesn’t get out of touch. “No gym can simulate a football field and the amount of movement a football official travels within the game,” Tyree said on ‘Behind The Flag’ in 2020.
How Much Does He Earn Officiating?
For an NFL referee, an average salary is about $205,000 while a more experienced official can earn up to $250,000 per season. As for Tyree Walton, who is a second-year Back Judge, his salary might be towards the lower end of the pay scale.
Will He Officiate In the Playoffs?
Watching him officiate the Vikings vs. 49ers matchup in week 2 was certainly a delight for fans. Although it would be fun to watch him work the playoffs but that is a decision that depends on the regular season which has a long way to go.
Also Read: All About the Only NFL Player Ever Who Won a Super Bowl Ring and an Olympic Gold Medal
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