Football Zebras has confirmed the referees for the Wild Card weekend. Officials are listed with their uniform number, years of NFL experience (including this season), the crew each official worked with in the regular season (by the referee’s name), college, and outside occupation.
All times are Eastern.
Three alternates are assigned to each game: generally, one is designated for the offensive backfield (a referee or umpire), one is on the line of scrimmage (down judge or line judge), and one is a deep position (side judge, field judge, or back judge). When alternates are listed, their position during the regular season is also given. The prior playoff experience that is listed for the crew chief includes his service as an NFL official, including as referee and any other crew position (excluding alternate assignments).
Saturday, Jan. 5
AFC Wild Card: Colts at Texans, 4:35 p.m. ESPN ABC
Bill Vinovich is the referee, who is in his 13th season and 10th as referee. This is his 11th postseason assignment, including 3 Wild Card Playoffs, 4 Divisional Playoffs, 3 Conference Championships, and Super Bowl XLIX.
| Yrs | 2018 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 52 | Bill Vinovich | 13 | San Diego | certified public accountant | |
| U | 102 | Bruce Stritesky | 13 | Vinovich | Embry Riddle | airline pilot |
| DJ | 16 | Kevin Codey | 4 | Hussey | Western New England | middle school physical education teacher |
| LJ | 59 | Rusty Baynes | 9 | Boger | Auburn-Montgomery | general manager, safety services* |
| FJ | 86 | Jimmy Buchanan | 10 | Torbert | South Carolina State | insurance agent |
| SJ | 88 | Brad Freeman | 5 | Martin | Mississippi State | sports park director* |
| BJ | 12 | Greg Steed | 16 | Hussey | Howard | computer systems analyst* |
*indicates full-time official
- Replay official: Mark Butterworth
- Replay assistant: Alton James
- Alternates: Craig Wrolstad (R), Phil McKinnely (DJ), Rick Patterson (SJ)
NFC Wild Card: Seahawks at Cowboys, 8:15 p.m. Fox
Walt Anderson is the referee, who is in his 23rd season and 16th as referee. This is Anderson’s 17th postseason assignment, including 8 Wild Card Playoffs, 2 Divisional Playoffs, 5 Conference Championships, and Super Bowls XXXV and XLV.
| Yrs | 2018 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 66 | Walt Anderson | 23 | Texas | former college officiating coordinator, retired dentist* | |
| U | 124 | Carl Paganelli | 19 | Anderson | Michigan State | retired federal probation officer* |
| DJ | 24 | David Oliver | 2 | Parry | Baker | information systems manager |
| LJ | 108 | Gary Arthur | 22 | Cheffers | Wright State | president, commercial printing company |
| FJ | 43 | Terry Brown | 13 | Anderson | Tennessee | probation supervisor |
| SJ | 29 | Adrian Hill | 9 | Wrolstad | Buffalo | software engineer |
| BJ | 93 | Scott Helverson | 16 | Wrolstad | Iowa | sales, printing and promotions |
*indicates full-time official
- Replay official: Jimmy Oldham
- Replay assistant: Roddy Ames
- Alternates: Carl Cheffers (R), Bart Longson (LJ), Mearl Robinson (FJ)
Sunday, Jan. 6
AFC Wild Card: Chargers at Ravens, 1:05 p.m. CBS
Clete Blakeman is the referee, who is in his 11th season and 9th as referee. This is Blakeman’s 8th postseason assignment, including 4 Wild Card Playoffs, 2 Divisional Playoffs, 1 Conference Championship, and Super Bowl 50.
| Yrs | 2018 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 34 | Clete Blakeman | 11 | Nebraska | attorney | |
| U | 92 | Bryan Neale | 5 | Smith | Indiana | sales consultant |
| DJ | 13 | Patrick Turner | 5 | Corrente | Cal State-Long Beach | plant manager |
| LJ | 18 | Byron Boston | 24 | Anderson | Austin | tax consultant |
| FJ | 97 | Tom Hill | 20 | Hochuli | Carson Newman | teacher* |
| SJ | 60 | Gary Cavaletto | 16 | Vinovich | Hancock | general manager, agricultural operations |
| BJ | 78 | Greg Meyer | 17 | Cheffers | Texas Christian | banker* |
*indicates full-time official
- Replay official: Paul Weidner
- Replay assistant: Willie Vizoso
- Alternates: John Hussey (R), Danny Short (DJ), Greg Wilson (BJ)
NFC Wild Card: Eagles at Bears, 4:40 p.m. NBC
Tony Corrente is the referee, who is in his 24th season and 21st as referee. This is Corrente’s 18th postseason assignment, including 7 Wild Card Playoffs, 5 Divisional Playoffs, 5 Conference Championships, and Super Bowl XLI.
| Yrs | 2018 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 99 | Tony Corrente | 24 | Cal State-Fullerton | retired educator | |
| U | 128 | Ramon George | 3 | Blakeman | Lenoir-Rhyne | vice president, operations |
| DJ | 6 | Jerod Phillips | 3 | Wrolstad | Northeastern State | elementary school teacher |
| LJ | 79 | Kent Payne | 15 | Martin | Nebraska Wesleyan | teacher |
| FJ | 116 | Mike Weatherford | 17 | swing | Oklahoma State | energy trader |
| SJ | 56 | Allen Baynes | 11 | Hussey | Auburn | realtor |
| BJ | 30 | Todd Prukop | 10 | Corrente | Cal State-Fullerton | medical sales representative |
- Replay official: John McGrath
- Replay assistant: Eugene Cunningham
- Alternates: Jerome Boger (R), Carl Johnson (LJ), Keith Ferguson (BJ)
You gotta think with all of the first year referees this year these guys for the wildcard will get more than one game this year. The times they are a changing. I think.
I wonder why the NFL doesn’t assign Walt Anderson to many games involving the Houston Texans in the regular season…
I believe Walt Anderson is from the Houston area so he might have a standing request with NFL that, all else being equal, he’d prefer not to be assigned Houston games to avoid any appearance of impropriety.
He doesn’t do any new New England games either
Are the officials finished for the season if they work this weekend. Feel like some of them should be chosen for the divisional or championship games.
Bob the refs this week can do the championship games but not next week
Cody,
Thank you.
Didn’t Blakeman also work the regular season BAL-LAC game just a few weeks ago?
Yes Blakeman did that game
for example injured umpire who took over
Do we know the names of the head referees who definitely won’t be officiating any playoff games? Do we know the pool of referees available for the divisional round or is that kept under wraps?