Tagged: Super Bowl 2013

The officiating crew for this year's Super Bowl was announced by the NFL this morning.

Referee Jerome Boger will lead the seven-man crew this Sunday. Boger was promoted to referee in 2006, and has been an NFL game official for nine seasons. This is his first Super Bowl appearance, but he has previously officiated four divisional playoff games.

Of all the topics Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis might have been prepared to talk about at Super Bowl media day, deer-antler spray probably was not among them.

He declined to directly address a Sports Illustrated report that he sought help from a company that makes the unorthodox product to speed up his recovery from a torn right triceps. Lewis was the NFL's leading tackler in the playoffs after missing 10 regular-season games with the injury.

The company says its deer-antler substance contains a byproduct of human growth hormone.

Players on both Super Bowl teams say they are confused about when a hit is legal by NFL standards.

Rules designed to make the game safer are also making players uncertain about which hits are considered clean and which ones could lead to a fine.

San Francisco tight end Vernon Davis wondered if two-hand touch is in the future for the NFL.

"I think the rules will change a lot," he said Tuesday. "There's already no helmet to helmet. Might be flag football, maybe."

Anquan Boldin wants to be known as more than simply a tough receiver.

Boldin, a key player in Baltimore's charge to the ​Super Bowl, isn't afraid to cut across the field. He can shrug off a hard hit, and also is an aggressive downfield blocker.

Asked Tuesday if he appreciates his reputation as one of the toughest receivers in the league, Boldin replied, "I look it as, I'm a football player. Not so much a receiver."