Gary Lane

Who was Gary Lane?

Gary Owen Lane was an American football quarterback and American football official.

After graduating from East Alton-Wood River High School in Wood River, Illinois in 1961, Lane played college football at the University of Missouri from 1963 to 1966 and later in the National Football League for three seasons with the Cleveland Browns and the New York Giants from 1966 to 1968. He also played one season in the Canadian Football League for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1970. Following his playing career, Lane was an official in the NFL for 18 seasons from 1982 to 1999, serving as a side judge and referee. He retired prior to the start of the 2000 NFL season after failing a physical. As an official, Lane was assigned to Super Bowl XXIII in 1989 and Super Bowl XXXIII in 1999 and wore the uniform number 120. He was also the referee of the famous "Fake Spike" game in 1994 where Dan Marino faked a spike against the New York Jets and threw the winning touchdown pass at the old Meadowlands.