A member of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame has been a regular on ESPN telecasts of Monday Night Football this season.

Veteran National Football League official Gerald Austin has been serving as an analyst in the booth about rules interpretations, enforcement and the like. He has especially had a major role since replacement officials are working the games on the field.

A native of Asheville, Austin is a retired public school administrator who has served as a teacher, principal and associate superintendent, but he has really made a lasting impact as a game official.

He was a three-sport athlete at Clyde Erwin High School and later earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Western Carolina. His doctorate is from UNC-Greensboro.

Austin worked for many years as a high school game official in various sports, working several state championships. In 1973, he became a football and basketball official in the Atlantic Coast Conference and then applied to officiate in the National Football League. He was accepted by the NFL in 1982 and worked for many years in the NFL, including working as a referee from 1990 through the 2007 season.

The NCHSAA Hall of Famer worked three Super Bowls, including XXXV in 2001.

Austin was one of the league’s most respected referees as he received the Art McNally Award, which goes to an NFL game official who exhibits exemplary professionalism, leadership and commitment to sportsmanship on and off the field.

Austin was the associate superintendent of the Guilford County schools for seven years.