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Football Zebras > 2019 Postseason > 2019 Divisional Playoffs > Anderson, Vinovich, Hochuli, and Blakeman are Divisional Playoff referees

Anderson, Vinovich, Hochuli, and Blakeman are Divisional Playoff referees

Football Zebras has confirmed the referees for the Divisional Playoffs. 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.

This year, the NFL has moved to four alternates for the early postseason rounds,  up one from previous years. In the past two seasons, no alternates were assigned in the umpire position, in order to ensure a white hat alternate was available in every game. Now, the alternates officials are a referee, an umpire, a line of scrimmage official (down judge or line judge), and a deep official (field judge, side judge, or back judge).

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). Also of note, the eventual Super Bowl officials are on the field for this weekend’s games, but not all are from the same crew.

Saturday, Jan. 11

NFC Divisional: Vikings at 49ers, 4:35 p.m. NBC

Walt Anderson is the referee, who is in his 24th season and 17th as referee. This is Anderson’s 18th postseason assignment, including 8 Wild Card Playoffs, 3 Divisional Playoffs, 5 Conference Championships, and Super Bowls XXXV and XLV. His first Super Bowl assignment was as a line judge.

         Yrs 2019 crew College Occupation
R 66 Walt Anderson 24    Texas former college officiating coordinator, retired dentist
U 115 Tony Michalek 18 Rogers Indiana communications specialist
DJ 53 Sarah Thomas 5 Torbert Mobile sales representative
LJ 9 Mark Perlman 19 Vinovich Salem teacher
FJ 31 Mearl Robinson 3 Vinovich Air Force instructor
SJ 41 Boris Cheek 24 Corrente Morgan State director of operations and management
BJ 93 Scott Helverson 17 Wrolstad Iowa sales, printing and promotions
  • Replay official:  Brian Matoren
  • Replay assistant: Kevin Stine
  • Alternates: Craig Wrolstad (R), Carl Paganelli (U), Greg Bradley (LJ), David Meslow (FJ)

AFC Divisional: Titans at Ravens, 8:15 p.m. CBS

Bill Vinovich is the referee, who is in his 14th season and 11th as referee. This is his 13th postseason assignment, including 3 Wild Card Playoffs, 5 Divisional Playoffs, 4 Conference Championships, and Super Bowl XLIX.

         Yrs 2019 crew College Occupation
R 52 Bill Vinovich 14    San Diego certified public accountant
U 20 Barry Anderson 13 Allen North Carolina State builder/developer
DJ 79 Kent Payne 16 Rogers Nebraska Wesleyan teacher
LJ 45 Jeff Seeman 18 Cheffers Minnesota brokerage sales
FJ 36 Anthony Jeffries 2 Corrente Alabama-Birmingham medical sales
SJ 103 Eugene Hall 6 Cheffers North Texas federal agent
BJ 12 Greg Steed 17 Rogers Howard computer systems analyst
  • Replay official: Mike Chase
  • Replay assistant: Marv LeBlanc
  • Alternates: Brad Allen (R), Steve Woods (U), Walt Coleman IV (LJ), Matt Edwards (BJ)

Sunday, Jan. 12

AFC Divisional: Texans at Chiefs, 3:05 p.m. CBS

Shawn Hochuli is the referee, who is in his 6th season and 2nd as referee. This is Hochuli’s 4th postseason assignment, and his first as referee. His first three assignments, 1 Wild Card Playoff and 2 Divisional Playoffs, were as a back judge.

         Yrs 2019 crew College Occupation
R 83 Shawn Hochuli 6    Claremont financial advisor
U 121 Paul King 11 Hochuli Nichols College teacher
DJ 134 Ed Camp 20 Hochuli William Paterson physical education teacher
LJ 101 Carl Johnson 16 Hussey Nicholls State former full-time official
FJ 72 Michael Banks 18 Cheffers Illinois State carpenter foreman
SJ 125 Chad Hill 2 Novak Mississippi medical sales
BJ 88 Brad Freeman 6 Hussey Mississippi State sports park director
  • Replay official: Carl Madsen
  • Replay assistant: Tyler Cerimeli
  • Alternates: Tony Corrente (R), Rich Hall (U), Danny Short (DJ), Joe Larrew (FJ)

NFC Divisional: Seahawks at Packers, 6:40 p.m. FOX

Clete Blakeman is the referee, who is in his 12th season and 10th as referee. This is Blakeman’s 10th postseason assignment, including 4 Wild Card Playoffs, 3 Divisional Playoffs, 2 Conference Championships, and Super Bowl 50.

         Yrs 2019 crew College Occupation
R 34 Clete Blakeman 12    Nebraska attorney
U 128 Ramon George 4 Novak Lenoir-Rhyne vice president, operations
DJ 8 Dana McKenzie 12 Corrente Toledo claims adjuster
LJ 32 Jeff Bergman 28 Kemp Robert Morris president and chief executive officer, medical services
FJ 50 Aaron Santi 5 Rogers Southern Oregon middle school principal
SJ 104 Dale Shaw 7 Kemp Allegheny pharmaceutical sales
BJ 46 Perry Paganelli 22 Blakeman Hope College retired high school administrator
  • Replay official: Jimmy Oldham
  • Replay assistant:  Yvonda Lewis
  • Alternates: Clay Martin (R), Dan Ferrell (U), Tim Podraza (LJ), James Coleman (SJ)
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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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12 thoughts on “Anderson, Vinovich, Hochuli, and Blakeman are Divisional Playoff referees

  1. So, if a ref can only have 2 assignments (on-field or alternate) in a postseason, this would disqualify Anderson and Vinovich from the Super Bowl. Hochuli wouldn’t be eligible because he’s been a referee for only 2 years.

    Therefore, barring any weird stuff from the league office, congratulations to Clete Blakeman on earning Super Bowl LIV.

  2. Looks like at least 2 controversies this weekend. I believe the NFL loves this

  3. So now that the crews are posted another theory bites the dust. Since Ramon George is the U for Blakeman and he is not eligible for the SB does this eliminate Blakeman. I think it does because the R and U usually work the divisional game together. I think Vinovich is now the favorite to work the game.

  4. My guess is that Hussey and Cheffers get the Conference Championships. Wrolstad, Corrente, and Allen have already had two assignments this postseason. We haven’t seen Ron Torbert, but I would think if the league thought he was CC caliber we would have already seen him.

    It could also be Shawn Smith. The league likes him a lot, and he’s already worked a CC as an umpire as well as working a playoff game every year of eligibility. It does seem like kind of a stretch for them to give a CC to a second-year referee, though.

  5. Wrolstad has worked a playoff game before but not this postseason this weekend as a alternate but I think that torbert and wrolstad get the conference championship game

  6. I can’t believe Sarah Thomas was selected. Has she learned to count the number on the line of scrimmage? I’ve seen her throw two flags that had to be picked up in Cincinnati because she couldn’t get the illegal formation call right. Pitiful!

    Clete Blakeman would be a good pick for the Super Bowl

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