In this episode of the Championship Culture SQUADcast, Chris Carrubba and Dr. Ed Lazzara are joined by retired NFL official, longtime educator, and coach Tommy Hill — along with the person he calls the “captain of the squad,” his wife, Patty — for a conversation about sacrifice, preparation, family, mentorship, and what it really takes to reach the highest level of your profession. Hill’s journey to the NFL didn’t begin under the bright lights of a Super Bowl. It started with his father, a high school football official for 38 years, encouraging him to learn how to referee. From Pop Warner and high school games to college football, NFL Europe, and eventually the NFL, Hill spent decades climbing the officiating ladder. His career would ultimately include more than 350 regular-season games and four Super Bowls. But this episode makes one thing clear: Tommy Hill’s story isn’t just about Tommy Hill. Patty shares what life looked like behind the scenes while Tommy pursued a career that demanded weekends, holidays, constant travel, studying, and countless hours away from home. She coached their son’s Little League team when Tommy couldn’t be there, managed the family while he traveled, and even saw their daughter schedule her June wedding knowing football season would make other times of the year difficult. The sacrifices were real, but so were the opportunities that came from making them together. Throughout the conversation, Hill continually comes back to one idea: you have to love the work. Talent isn’t enough. Whether he was preparing for a preseason game or a Super Bowl, Hill approached the process the same way — studying film, learning the rules, sharpening fundamentals, and preparing for situations he might encounter. He describes officiating as a craft that has to be continually polished, and even after decades in the profession, his biggest concern remained simple: don’t screw up the game. Hill also reflects on the mentors, officials, coaches, and friends who became part of his own squad along the way. He shares stories about working with some of the NFL’s most recognizable coaches, helping new referees develop, and learning that relationships built through demanding work often last long after the games are over. Today, Hill is passing those lessons to the next generation of NFL officials. As a downfield trainer, he works individually with developing officials, reviewing their games, reinforcing fundamentals, and helping prepare prospective officials through college all-star games and the league’s developmental pipeline. His approach is rooted in experience: teach young officials the lessons he learned — including his own mistakes — so they can be better prepared when their opportunity arrives. Some of the most memorable moments come when Tommy and Patty look beyond football. Tommy talks about his father as his hero, the pride he has in his wife and children, and the incredible experiences his career gave their entire family. Patty talks candidly about the weekends spent alone, coordinating children and family responsibilities, and the support system that helped make Tommy’s career possible. The conversation also brings Tommy and Ed back to their years together at Mount Olive, where Hill became much more than an NFL official who happened to work in a school. He was a coach, teacher, mentor, colleague, and trusted voice for the people around him. As Ed reflects, Hill was someone coaches could turn to for advice not only about sports, but about careers, marriage, children, and life. From Pop Warner fields to Super Bowls, from red-eye flights followed by mornings back at school to family holidays celebrated without everyone at the table, Tommy and Patty Hill’s story is a reminder that reaching the highest level is rarely an individual accomplishment. It takes preparation. It takes sacrifice. It takes people willing to support you when nobody sees the work being done. And most importantly, it takes a SQUAD. Who’s on your SQUAD?
