It started back in 2002. Brandon Cruse was fresh into college and made his start officiating football in South Dakota. 20 years later, Cruse will enter his first season as NFL official.
Cruse grew up playing sports in Pierre including basketball and football for the Governors and also baseball for Post 8. After high school, Cruse got into officiating to stay in touch with the sport and to give back to the game. Since the mark, Cruse moved into the college ranks officiating Mountain West football games before heading to the Big 12 and now into the NFL. Cruse has been the referee, which wears the white hat and makes the announcement of penalties while working the college game. Now, he will transition into being an umpire and he says it will be different but still having some similarities…
Cruse credits his dad, Jim, with the idea of getting into officiating football…
Cruse says then he was always looking to work the next step up…
And Cruse says one of the best things about being an official is the camaraderie with the officials which compares to being an athlete…
Cruse worked as the referee for the 2019 Rose Bowl, National Semifinal between Alabama and Ohio State and the National Championship this past season. Cruse will be an umpire for the 2022 NFL season with the preseason beginning in August.