An NFL Sports Legacy

We recently had the honor of framing an NFL referee's Superbowl jersey and memorabilia.  Mr. Dave Wyant of Crozet was a referee for Superbowl 48.  So, to celebrate that accomplishment, his family wanted to display these artifacts in a way all could see rather than tucked away in a closet.

​We put our heads together and designed a way to both preserve the jersey and display it in a dynamic presentation.  A black custom made shadowbox frame was constructed to be extra deep to accommodate the hat that was to be mounted with the jersey.  There were insignia on the sides of the cap that needed to be visible.

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​We arranged all the elements and set about a construction for a mount.  A filler form was constructed to sew the jersey on to and the arms were filled out at well as we wanted to have the shirt holding out an arm to display the small flag with a sandbag sewn to it.  The identification lanyards were draped around the neck of the jersey and sewn in place. Supports needed to be sewn to the backs of the arms to hold them up.  If they were not in place, the armature would sag.

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​This photograph shows well the depth of the presentation.  The arm holds out the small sandbag and the cloth is free to fall as it will.  The hat tilts forward to display the insignia. Adding to the depth are the two commemorative coins that are framed within the shadowbox.  ​

The coins were a bit of a challenge as they were heavy and slick.  We also wanted to give them a special place in the piece as by themselves they seemed very diminutive against the expanse of the jersey.  We framed them within small charcoal colored frames and this not only helped bring a focus to the coins themselves but also balanced the empty mount space flanking the hat.
We enjoyed working on this project and are told Mr. Wyant is very happy with the way it turned out.  We are impressed with his accomplishments and congratulate him on his achievements!
​What a unique opportunity to referee for the NFL!

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Photo Courtesy CBS 19