Longtime NFL official Carl Madsen died Sunday on way home from game

A longtime NFL official died on Sunday after he worked the Kansas City Chiefs-Tennessee Titans game at Nissan Stadium.

The NFL announced on Monday that replay official Carl Madsen has died at age 71. Madsen, who spent the last 12 years as a replay official and 12 years as an on-field official before that, died on his way home from the Chiefs-Titans game.

“Carl Madsen was an NFL officiating fixture for more than two decades, first as a highly-respected on-field official before transitioning to a replay role in 2009,” NFL senior vice president Walt Anderson said in a statement. “A terrific friend and collegue, Carl’s love of football and dedication to officiating was ever-present, as he generously shared his time to mentor young officials at clinics across the country. A veteran of the Air Force, Carl had a tremendous spirit and will be greatly missed.”

No cause of death has been revealed.

Madsen worked four playoff games in the past five seasons as a replay official.