New England quarterback Tom Brady walked onto the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for Sunday’s Super Bowl against the Los Angles Rams and greeted a lot of people.

Among those was game referee John Parry and the Internet exploded with a familiar conspiracy: the fix is in, the Patriots will win Super Bowl 53.

Parry began his NFL officiating career in the 2000 season as a side judge. He became a referee in 2007.

Since 2007, he has officiated in seven games featuring the Rams, all won by L.A. — including the Rams’ Wild Card win over Dallas.

The Patriots are 9-5 in 14 games with Parry as the head official, that includes a 17-10 loss to Pittsburgh in Week 15 this season. Parry was the referee in one other New England Super Bowl, their 2012 loss to the New York Giants.

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Houston County High School football players take the field for a region game against Coffee High School on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. This season, Houston County has outscored its opponents by an average of 26.9 points per game. (Courtesy of hocofootball.com)

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(Photo Illustration: Philip Robibero | Sources: Hyosub Shin for the AJC, Unsplash)

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