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Vinovich, Anderson, Blakeman, and Corrente are Wild Card referees

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)
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Cameron Filipe
Cam Filipe is a graduate student at Boston University and has been involved in football officiating for ten years. Cam is in his second season as a high school football official. This is his seventh season covering NFL officiating for Football Zebras.

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11 thoughts on “Vinovich, Anderson, Blakeman, and Corrente are Wild Card referees

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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?

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