Officials in the NFL don’t always get complimentary coverage for their on-field efforts. Yet back judge Tyree Walton has fans demanding their team sign him to the roster after he kept pace with Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson on a 97-yard touchdown catch during yesterday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Not only did Walton keep pace with Jefferson, who seemingly had rockets attached to his legs, but he outran the 49ers secondary and was actually the first man to cross the goal line on the play.
The play came early in the second quarter when Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold unleashed a 55-yard bomb that hit Jefferson in stride and, after some cutbacks, resulted in a touchdown and a 10-0 lead for Minnesota.
Walton was running along with the play the entire time.
I mean, just … Holy cow! That guy has some wheels of his own.
JUSTIN JEFFERSON 97 YARD TUDDY!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/0PJs9mheCK
— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2024
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NFL Official Walton Has Some New Fans
What an effort on Walton’s part! Walton is in just his second year of officiating with the NFL. But he still had the presence of mind to anticipate Jefferson’s cut and get out of the way. Then he outran and outcut everybody.
The speed on display alone had fans calling for their team’s front office to sign this man.
“The ref was moving faster than our safeties good lord,” one Niners fan wrote, perhaps looking for an upgrade in the secondary.
“This guy could play for the Panthers,” another weighed in.
One person watching the clip asked, “Can we cut our safety and sign that ref?”
“WOW! The Rams should offer him a tryout,” yet another wrote.
Where Did He Come From?
Walton is indeed just a second-year official in the league. Prior to this, he was an official at the Division I college level and a banker.
He was featured in a US Bank profile in 2021.
“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,” Walton said.
“Officiating very quickly taught me that the most important thing is communication, and the same thing applies when you’re dealing with customers,” he added.
Walton was a running back at Adams State University, a Division II team located in Alamosa, Colorado.
Now, he’s a viral legend.
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