​Gary Patterson, who officiated four ACC championship games, the 2008-09 national championship contest, and the 2006 Army-Navy game, was appointed Monday as the league’s supervisor of football officials. A former Wofford quarterback, Patterson succeeds Al Riveron, who resigned last week after three seasons in the role. Commissioner Jim Phillips stated in a news release that Patterson “has earned the trust and respect of coaches and his officiating colleagues throughout his more than 30-year career, including nearly 25 in the ACC.” Phillips added that Patterson’s extensive on-field experience has been defined by excellence, integrity, and leadership, and that his deep understanding of the game makes him uniquely qualified to lead ACC football officiating.
Patterson began his on-field officiating career in 1994 in the Division II South Atlantic Conference. He joined the ACC officiating roster in 2002 and was promoted to referee in 2009, shortly after serving as back judge for the January 2009 Bowl Championship Series title game, which Florida defeated Oklahoma. That game pitted Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks Tim Tebow of Florida and Sam Bradford of Oklahoma. The night also marked Landstown High graduate Percy Harvin’s culmination of his college career, as he totaled 171 yards of offense (122 rushing and 49 receiving) and scored one touchdown for the Gators.
During his ACC tenure, Patterson worked under supervisors such as Doug Rhodes, Dennis Hennigan, and Riveron. The role encompasses evaluating, recruiting, and training officials, as well as collaborating with the league’s coaches and administrators. In addition, Patterson will work with ESPN as the network and the ACC pursue enhanced replay transparency that they rolled out for select games in 2025. Riveron’s reported compensation for fiscal year 2025 was $293,076, according to the ACC’s federal tax filing.
In expressing his gratitude, Patterson said, “I want to sincerely thank Commissioner Phillips for his confidence and the opportunity to lead the ACC’s football officiating program. It is truly an honor to serve a conference that has meant so much to me throughout my career. I look forward to working with our outstanding officials, coaches, and administrators to continue elevating the quality, consistency, and integrity of ACC officiating.”
Patterson’s departure from the on-field arena occurred last September, prompted by frustration over a late replay intervention during the 2025 Syracuse-Connecticut game he was refereeing. He now assumes a senior administrative role designed to shape the ACC’s officiating program for years to come.