Before becoming director of officiating—succeeding Mark Duncan, who had held the position from 1964 to 1968—McNally served as a field judge and referee in the NFL for nine years from 1959 to 1967.

[6] He refereed for a season in the National Basketball Association as reported by Sunday Today with Willie Geist.

He was responsible for the scouting, screening, hiring, and grading of the seven-man crews that work each NFL game.

[6] McNally returned to the NFL front office in 1996 to work as an assistant supervisor of officials, a position he served in until 2008, before transitioning to an observer role for eight seasons.

[12][9] In August 2022, McNally became the first NFL official inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, after being voted in that January.