2025 Conference Championships
Kemp and Martin are the referees for the Conference Championships
Each working their first Conference Championship Game
Football Zebras exclusive
Football Zebras has confirmed the assignment of referees Alex Kemp and Clay Martin to the Conference Championship games on Sunday. Kemp will have the AFC game between the Patriots and Broncos; Martin will be heading the crew for the NFC title match between the Rams and Seahawks. Each will be working their first Conference Championship.
All times are Eastern.
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). Starting this weekend and for the Super Bowl, a full crew of 7 on-field alternates will be assigned, as well as an alternate replay official.
AFC Championship Game, Patriots at Broncos, 3 p.m. ET CBS Paramount+
Alex Kemp will head the crew in the AFC Championship Game.
Kemp, 52, is an insurance agent from Greenville, Mich. He officiated in the Big Ten Conference for several seasons as a side judge and referee. Kemp worked several postseason games as a Big Ten side judge, including the 2011 BCS National Championship Game.
Kemp was hired in 2014 as an side judge, making this his 12th season, and his 8th as referee since his promotion in 2018. He is the son of the late NFL side judge and referee, Stan Kemp.
This is Kemp’s 8th postseason assignment, including 6 Wild Card Playoffs, a Divisional Playoff, and this, his first Conference Championship.
| Yrs | 2025 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 55 | Alex Kemp | 12 | Central Michigan | insurance agent | |
| U | 20 | Barry Anderson | 19 | Torbert | North Carolina State | builder/developer |
| DJ | 21 | Max Causey | 4 | Hussey | Louisiana Tech | financial advisor |
| LJ | 87 | Tom Eaton | 6 | Moore | Central Florida | fiscal manager |
| FJ | 31 | Mearl Robinson | 9 | Moore | Air Force | retired U.S. Air Force instructor |
| SJ | 95 | James Coleman | 21 | Blakeman | Arkansas | electrical engineer |
| BJ | 88 | Brad Freeman | 12 | Clark | Mississippi State | sports park director |
| RO | Bob Hubbell | 6 | Hill | Texas A&M | steel sales | |
| RA | Durwood Manley | 7 | Hill | Lubbock Christian | sales territory manager | |
| ALT | R | John Hussey | 24 | Idaho State | nonprofit founder and CEO | |
| ALT | U | Scott Campbell | 3 | Blakeman | California-Davis | firefighter |
| ALT | DJ | Danny Short | 9 | Wrolstad | North Carolina-Charlotte | executive director, global sales operations |
| ALT | LJ | Carl Johnson | 22 | Hussey | Nicholls State | retired sales manager, former full-time official |
| ALT | FJ | Sean Petty | 3 | Kemp | ||
| ALT | SJ | Boris Cheek | 30 | Smith | Morgan State | retired director of operations and management |
| ALT | BJ | Tony Josselyn | 8 | Novak | Eastern Kentucky | probation officer |
| ALT | RO | Jamie Nicholson | 8 | Hochuli | Ferris State | teacher |
retiring official
NFC Championship Game, Rams at Seahawks, 6:40 p.m. ET Fox Fox One
Clay Martin will don the white hat for the NFC Championship Game, the first Conference Championship of his career.
Martin began his football officiating career in 2005. He began his college career in 2007 with Conference USA as a line judge. At this position, he worked the 2011 Conference USA championship, the 2011 Outback Bowl, the 2012 Holiday Bowl, the 2014 Conference USA championship and the 2015 East-West Shrine Game. He worked the 2013 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl as a referee.
He was hired in 2015 as an umpire, making this his 11th season, and his 8th as referee since his promotion in 2018.
Martin initially attended the University of Tulsa on football and basketball scholarships, but transferred to Oklahoma Baptist University to play basketball, helping his team reach the NAIA championship game in 1997.
Martin, 50, is a retired high school administrator and basketball coach from Jenks, Okla.
This is Martin’s 7th postseason assignment, including 4 Wild Card Playoffs, 2 Divisional Playoffs, and this, his first Conference Championship.
| Yrs | 2025 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 19 | Clay Martin | 11 | Oklahoma Baptist | retired high school administrator and basketball coach | |
| U | 77 | Terry Killens | 7 | Moore | Penn State | campus security specialist FORMER NFL PLAYER |
| DJ | 24 | David Oliver | 9 | Eck | Baker | information systems manager |
| LJ | 79 | Kent Payne | 22 | Blakeman | Nebraska Wesleyan | agribusinessman |
| FJ | 23 | Tra Boger | 4 | Hill | Tulane | assistant principal |
| SJ | 36 | Anthony Jeffries | 8 | Moore | Alabama-Birmingham | medical sales |
| BJ | 120 | Jonah Monroe | 11 | Blakeman | Arkansas | engineer |
| RO | Chad Adams | 7 | Blakeman | Cincinnati | operations | |
| RA | Kris Raper | 1 | Clark | |||
| ALT | R | Carl Cheffers | 26 | California-Irvine | sales manager | |
| ALT | U | Brandon Cruse | 4 | Wrolstad | South Dakota School of Mines & Technology | management consultant |
| ALT | DJ | Patrick Holt | 7 | Hochuli | North Carolina State | IT manager |
| ALT | LJ | Brian Perry | 2 | Martin | Texas | mutual funds |
| ALT | FJ | Anthony Flemming | 6 | Hussey | Texas A&M-Commerce | senior auditor |
| ALT | SJ | Keith Washington | 18 | Torbert | Virginia Military Institute | program financial analyst |
| ALT | BJ | Dino Paganelli | 20 | Smith | Aquinas College | educator |
| ALT | RO | Denise Crudup | 6 | Rogers | Wilmington | accounts payable analyst |
Discover more from Football Zebras
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Post your comment here
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Anonymous
January 19, 2026 at 3:44 pm
Where is the nfl divisional photo album. And where is the college football championship referee
Anonymous
January 19, 2026 at 3:52 pm
Where is Bill Vinovich? No on field assignments
Anonymous
January 19, 2026 at 7:12 pm
Where is the college football championship referee. Who is it going to be
Anonymous
January 19, 2026 at 7:19 pm
Bill Vinovich didnt get a single playoff game this yr, he is a top tier referee much better then Martin and Kemp
Tom
January 19, 2026 at 7:33 pm
Lack of Vinovich also surprises me. I was watching a Bengals game with Kemp this year, and I thought he was terrible! I thought it was his worst ever game. I would have rather had Vinovich doing the game.
Anonymous
January 20, 2026 at 12:01 pm
Love Vinovich too!!! Who does everyone have for SB?? I had Hussey before the playoffs started.. Still alive.. Please no Shaun Hocholi!!!