Art McNally was born on July 1, 1925, in Philadelphia. He grew up in the city and graduated from Roman Catholic High School in 1943. After high school, he served in the Marines during World War II. Following his military service, he attended Temple University in Philadelphia and earned a degree. McNally then worked as a teacher and coach in the Philadelphia school district at Central High School.
In 1959, McNally began his career as an NFL official. He worked as a field judge and referee until 1967. In 1968, he became the NFL director of officiating. He managed a staff of over 100 officials and led the scouting, hiring, and grading of crews for NFL games. McNally helped introduce the use of game film for evaluating officials. He oversaw the NFL’s first instant replay system starting in 1986.
McNally retired as director in 1991 but continued working in football as a supervisor and consultant. He returned to the NFL office in 1996 and worked until 2015 before retiring fully.
In 2022, McNally became the first NFL official inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame the same year. McNally passed away on January 1, 2023, in Yardley, Pennsylvania, at the age of 97. His life and career remain closely tied to Philadelphia.
Art McNally officiated in the NFL for 48 seasons during his Hall of Fame career as an NFL Official.
McNally grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and played football, basketball, and baseball at Roman Catholic High School.
