Reference Desk
Officiating crews for the 2016 season
Football Zebras has obtained the officiating crew rosters for the 2016 NFL season. This season, three new officials have been hired and only one retired. There are five veteran officials designated as swing officials, up from three last season, who will move between crews through the season. Those swing officials include two umpires, a line judge, and two deep wings.
After four officials were promoted to the referee position in the last two years to fill vacancies, there are no new “white hats” this season.
The league disbanded the replay assistant staff and opted to cover the position with regional assistants. Most, if not all, of the previous staff were not retained.
Crew members are listed with their years of NFL experience, including the upcoming season, the crews they were on last season, the college attended, and occupations. Nine veteran officials have changed positions, which are indicated at the bottom of each crew list.
*indicates an official who is on the same crew as last season.
| Yrs | 2015 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 122 | Brad Allen | 3 | Pembroke State | non-profit CEO | |
| U | 11 | Fred Bryan | 8 | * | Northern Iowa | superintendent, juvenile correctional facility |
| HL | 48 | Jim Mello | 13 | * | Northeastern | facilities manager |
| LJ | 100 | Tom Symonette | 13 | * | Florida | certified public accountant |
| FJ | 97 | Tom Hill | 18 | * | Carson Newman | teacher |
| SJ | 118 | David Meslow | 6 | Boger | Augsburg College | marketing manager |
| BJ | 83 | Shawn Hochuli | 3 | * | Claremont | financial advisor |
- Replay official: Jim Lapetina
- Position changes: T. Hill (SJ→FJ), Meslow (FJ→SJ)
| Yrs | 2015 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 66 | Walt Anderson | 21 | Texas | college officiating coordinator, retired dentist | |
| U | 40 | Butch Hannah | 18 | * | Middle Tennessee State | retired federal probation officer |
| HL | 6 | Jerod Phillips | 1 | NA | Northeastern State | elementary school teacher |
| LJ | 18 | Byron Boston | 22 | * | Austin | tax consultant |
| FJ | 117 | John Jenkins | 3 | Vinovich | St. Mary’s | sales executive |
| SJ | 125 | Laird Hayes | 22 | * | Princeton | owner of football camps for high school and youth |
| BJ | 119 | Greg Wilson | 9 | Corrente | USC | law enforcement |
- Replay official: Billy Smith
| Yrs | 2015 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 34 | Clete Blakeman | 9 | Nebraska | attorney | |
| U | 128 | Ramon George | 1 | NA | Lenoir-Rhyne | vice-president, operations |
| HL | 94 | Hugo Cruz | 2 | * | Texas-Pan American | investment manager |
| LJ | 36 | Tony Veteri†| 25 | Triplette | Manhattan College | physical education teacher |
| FJ | 29 | Adrian Hill | 7 | Hochuli | Buffalo | software engineer |
| SJ | 73 | Joe Larrew | 15 | * | St Louis | attorney |
| BJ | 17 | Steve Patrick | 3 | * | Jacksonville State | owner, supply company |
- Replay official: Rich Reels
- Position change: Veteri (HL→LJ)
- †Substitution: Veteri out (undisclosed) weeks 9-17, replaced with an official on a bye week
| Yrs | 2015 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 23 | Jerome Boger | 13 | Morehouse College | retired commercial insurance underwriter | |
| U | 49 | Rich Hall | 13 | * | Arizona | custom cabinetry |
| HL | 134 | Ed Camp | 16 | Morelli | William Paterson | physical education teacher |
| LJ | 8 | Dana McKenzie | 9 | (swing) | Toledo | claims adjuster |
| FJ | 103 | Eugene Hall | 3 | Anderson | North Texas | federal agent |
| SJ | 87 | Walt Coleman IV | 2 | * | Southern Methodist | financial advisor |
| BJ | 112 | Tony Steratore | 17 | * | California (Pa.) | co-owner, supply company |
- Replay official: Carl Madsen
- Position change: McKenzie (HL→LJ)
| Yrs | 2015 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 51 | Carl Cheffers | 17 | California-Irvine | sales manager | |
| U | 71 | Ruben Fowler | 11 | Morelli | Huston-Tillotson | retired firefighter |
| HL | 79 | Kent Payne | 13 | * | Nebraska Wesleyan | teacher |
| LJ | 47 | Tim Podraza | 9 | * | Nebraska | corporate real estate |
| FJ | 88 | Brad Freeman | 3 | * | Mississippi State | sports park director |
| SJ | 1 | Scott Novak | 3 | * | Phoenix | sales manager |
| BJ | 63 | Jim Quirk | 7 | Vinovich | Middlebury | financial advisor |
- Replay official: Charles Stewart
| Yrs | 2015 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 65 | Walt Coleman | 28 | Arkansas | manager dairy processor | |
| U | 44 | Jeff Rice | 22 | Blakeman | Northwestern | attorney |
| HL | 74 | Derick Bowers | 14 | McAulay | East Central | sales representative |
| LJ | 16 | Kevin Codey | 2 | * | Western New England | middle school physical education teacher |
| FJ | 43 | Terry Brown | 11 | Blakeman | Tennessee | probation supervisor |
| SJ | 76 | Alan Eck | 1 | NA | Bloomsburg State | tax manager |
| BJ | 111 | Terrence Miles | 9 | Cheffers | Arizona State | quality control manager |
- Replay official: Lou Nazzaro
| Yrs | 2015 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 99 | Tony Corrente | 22 | Cal State-Fullerton | college officiating coordinator | |
| U | 64 | Dan Ferrell | 14 | * | Cal State-Fullerton | director, parts logistics and supply chain management |
| HL | 13 | Patrick Turner | 3 | Hochuli | Cal State-Long Beach | plant manager |
| LJ | 2 | Bart Longson | 2 | * | Brigham Young | co-founder and CEO, digital finance company |
| FJ | 82 | Buddy Horton | 18 | * | Oregon State | water service worker |
| SJ | 75 | Rob Vernatchi | 13 | Morelli | California-Riverside | enforcement investigator |
| BJ | 30 | Todd Prukop | 8 | Anderson | Cal State-Fullerton | medical sales representative |
- Replay official: Russell Yurk
- Position change: Yurk (replay assistant→replay official)
| Yrs | 2015 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 85 | Ed Hochuli | 27 | Texas-El Paso | attorney | |
| U | 19 | Clay Martin | 2 | * | Tulsa | high school basketball coach |
| HL | 98 | Greg Bradley | 8 | Parry | Tennessee | chemical engineer |
| LJ | 59 | Rusty Baynes | 7 | * | Auburn-Montgomery | general manager, safety services |
| FJ | 104 | Dale Shaw | 4 | Morelli | Allegheny | pharmaceutical sales |
| SJ | 55 | Alex Kemp | 3 | Triplette | Central Michigan | insurance agent |
| BJ | 93 | Scott Helverson | 14 | * | Iowa | sales, printing and promotions |
- Replay official: Tom Sifferman
- Position change: Shaw (BJ→FJ)
| Yrs | 2015 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 35 | John Hussey | 15 | Idaho State | sales representative, retail logistics group | |
| U | 115 | Tony Michalek | 15 | * | Indiana | USA Football officiating director |
| HL | 106 | Wayne Mackie | 10 | * | Colgate | director of operations, housing |
| LJ | 107 | Ron Marinucci | 20 | * | Glassboro State | vice president, novelty cone company |
| FJ | 86 | Jimmy Buchanan | 8 | * | South Carolina State | insurance agent |
| SJ | 56 | Allen Baynes | 9 | * | Auburn | realtor |
| BJ | 61 | Keith Ferguson | 17 | * | San Jose State | sales |
- Replay official: Mike Wimmer
| Yrs | 2015 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 77 | Terry McAulay†| 19 | Louisiana State | college officiating coordinator | |
| U | 96 | Undrey Wash | 17 | Cheffers | Texas-Arlington | claims controller |
| HL | 91 | Jerry Bergman†| 15 | Coleman | Robert Morris | sales executive |
| LJ | 68 | Tom Stephan | 18 | * | Pittsburg State | business broker |
| FJ | 15 | Rick Patterson | 21 | Morelli | Wofford | banker |
| SJ | 120 | Jonah Monroe | 2 | * | ||
| BJ | 39 | Rich Martinez | 3 | Coleman | Canisius | sales manager |
- Replay official: Earnie Frantz
- †Substitutions: McAulay out weeks 1-3, replaced with referee on bye week. Jerry Bergman injured preseason weeks 2-4 (torn meniscus) with various substitutes.
| Yrs | 2015 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 135 | Pete Morelli | 20 | St Mary’s | high school principal | |
| U | 92 | Bryan Neale | 3 | McAulay | Indiana | sales consultant |
| HL | 22 | Steve Stelljes | 15 | Anderson | Friends | business planning manager |
| LJ | 101 | Carl Johnson | 13 | Blakeman | Nicholls State | full-time official |
| FJ | 67 | Doug Rosenbaum | 16 | Allen | Illinois Wesleyan | financial consultant |
| SJ | 41 | Boris Cheek | 21 | Coleman | Morgan State | director of operations and management |
| BJ | 12 | Greg Steed†| 14 | McAulay | Howard | computer systems analyst |
- Replay official: Tommy Moore
- Position change: Cheek (FJ→SJ)
- †Substitutions: Steed out weeks 11-17 (undisclosed), replaced with an official on bye week.
| Yrs | 2015 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 132 | John Parry | 17 | Purdue | financial advisor | |
| U | 131 | Mark Pellis | 3 | * | Allegheny | financial advisor |
| HL | 5 | John McGrath | 15 | Boger | Kentucky | vice president of sales |
| LJ | 45 | Jeff Seeman | 15 | Boger | Minnesota | brokerage sales |
| FJ | 26 | Jabir Walker | 2 | * | Murray State | math teacher |
| SJ | 7 | Keith Washington | 9 | Corrente | Virginia Military Institute | program financial analyst |
| BJ | 46 | Perry Paganelli | 19 | Hope College | retired high school administrator |
- Replay official: Bob McGrath
| Yrs | 2015 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 114 | Gene Steratore | 14 | Kent State | co-owner, supply company | |
| U | 129 | Bill Schuster‡ | 17 | Coleman | Alfred | insurance broker |
| HL | 123 | Ed Walker†| 3 | * | San Jose State | real estate management |
| LJ | 108 | Gary Arthur | 20 | * | Wright State | president, commercial printing company |
| FJ | 116 | Mike Weatherford | 15 | * | Oklahoma State | energy trader |
| SJ | 25 | Bob Waggoner | 20 | * | Juniata College | retired probation officer |
| BJ | 105 | Dino Paganelli | 11 | * | Aquinas College | educator |
- Replay official: Paul Weidner
- †Substitutions: E. Walker out (torn quadriceps) weeks 10-17, replaced by swing official Spanier (LJ→HL).
- ‡Crew changes: Ellison was originally placed on Steratore’s crew, but was out beginning preseason week 2 through regular season week 8, returning as a swing official. Schuster was moved from a swing official to Steratore’s crew.
| Yrs | 2015 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 62 | Ron Torbert | 7 | Michigan State | attorney | |
| U | 121 | Paul King | 8 | Vinovich | Nicholls State | school teacher |
| HL | 37 | Jim Howey | 18 | * | Erskine College | director of adult education |
| LJ | 84 | Mark Steinkerchner | 23 | * | Akron | vice-president |
| FJ | 50 | Aaron Santi | 2 | * | Southern Oregon | middle school principal |
| SJ | 80 | Greg Gautreaux | 15 | Parry | SW Louisiana | athletic programs manager |
| BJ | 38 | Greg Yette | 7 | * | Howard | defense contractor |
- Replay official: Bill Spyksma
| Yrs | 2015 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 42 | Jeff Triplette | 21 | Wake Forest | restructuring consultant | |
| U | 14 | Shawn Smith | 2 | * | Ferris State | internal auditor |
| HL | 32 | Jeff Bergman | 25 | * | Robert Morris | president and chief executive officer, medical services |
| LJ | 53 | Sarah Thomas | 2 | Morelli | Mobile | pharmaceutical sales representative |
| FJ | 3 | Scott Edwards | 18 | Torbert | Alabama | environmental engineer |
| SJ | 109 | Dyrol Prioleau | 10 | * | Johnson C Smith | manager, law firm |
| BJ | 133 | Steve Freeman | 16 | * | Mississippi State | custom home builder |
- Replay official: Al Hynes
- Position changes: Jeff Bergman (LJ→HL). Edwards and Prioleau were initially swapped in their positions when the roster was first released, but they returned to their positions for preseason.
| Yrs | 2015 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 52 | Bill Vinovich | 12 | San Diego | accountant, former NFL officiating supervisor | |
| U | 102 | Bruce Stritesky | 11 | (swing) | Embry Riddle | airline pilot |
| HL | 110 | Phil McKinnely | 15 | * | UCLA | inventory control |
| LJ | 9 | Mark Perlman | 16 | Parry | Salem | teacher |
| FJ | 72 | Michael Banks | 15 | McAulay | Illinois State | carpenter foreman |
| SJ | 60 | Gary Cavaletto | 14 | * | Hancock | general manager, agricultural operations |
| BJ | 78 | Greg Meyer | 15 | Hochuli | Texas Christian | banker |
- Replay official: Darryll Lewis
- Position change: Meyer (SJ→BJ)
| Yrs | 2015 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 4 | Craig Wrolstad | 14 | Washington | athletic director | |
| U | 31 | Barry Anderson# | 10 | Steratore | North Carolina State | builder/developer |
| HL | 28 | Mark Hittner | 20 | * | Pittsburg State | investment broker |
| LJ | 10 | Julian Mapp | 8 | * | Grambling State | software QA tester |
| FJ | 33 | Steve Zimmer | 20 | * | Hofstra | attorney |
| SJ | 21 | Jeff Lamberth | 15 | * | Texas A&M | attorney |
| BJ | 27 | Lee Dyer | 14 | * | Tennessee-Chattanooga | sales manager |
- Replay official: Larry Nemmers
- #Number change: B. Anderson (20→31) in Week 2 in honor of umpire Chad Brown
Swing officials
| Yrs | 2015 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U | 124 | Carl Paganelli | 17 | Torbert | Michigan State | retired federal probation officer |
| U | 81 | Roy Ellison‡ | 14 | Wrolstad | Savannah State | technical staff member |
| LJ | 90 | Mike Spanier†| 18 | Vinovich | St Cloud State | middle school principal |
| FJ | 95 | James Coleman | 12 | (swing) | Arkansas | electrical engineer |
| SJ | 89 | Jon Lucivansky | 8 | Coleman | Minnesota | college educator |
- †Substitution: Spanier was placed on Steratore’s crew in week 10 for E. Walker (injured).
- ‡Crew changes: Ellison was originally placed on Steratore’s crew, but was out beginning preseason week 2 through regular season week 8, returning as a swing official. Schuster was moved from a swing official to Steratore’s crew.
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