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In an effort to minimize travel, the NFL officiating department has reconstructed the crews for the 2020 season, changing the crew designations originally revealed on Football Zebras in May.
The concept of a “crew” this season is not going to align with any other modern-era season. Officials will be driving to most of their assignments when feasible, which means up to 5-hour car rides are the expectation, with a few longer excursions required before air travel is granted. There is no carpooling allowed on these trips.
So, crews will be split up from time to time due to some of these proximity considerations. For example, if a crew predominantly based in the Baltimore metro area has a game in Charlotte, N.C., they might have officials living in the southeast substitute for some of the more northern colleagues. In a given week there are usually less than 5 substitutes in a normal season — not counting the swing officials that are deliberately moved between crews — but sources have indicated that the moves each week will be substantial this season.
Additionally, with a preponderance of referees on the west coast, there will be an expectation for some to travel east on a multigame trip. Occasionally, this will result in some crews having other referees substitute in to account for potential travel restrictions and other isolation concerns.
Football Zebras has been able to generally assemble the crews on a regional basis, but we can’t say this enough that everything is subject to change. Largely, these crews listed here are based on their Week 1 assignments, unless other information was obtained. Two west-coast crews are especially fluid this season and are grouped based on common assignments with the referee.
East crews
East 1
|
| R | 122 | Brad Allen | 7 | | Pembroke State | non-profit CEO |
| U | 102 | Bruce Stritesky | 15 | Vinovich | Embry Riddle | airline pilot |
| DJ | 113 | Danny Short | 4 | Cheffers | North Carolina-Charlotte | executive director, global sales operations |
| LJ | 85 | Daniel Gallagher | 1 | NA | Kent State | |
| FJ | 15 | Rick Patterson | 25 | Anderson | Wofford | banker |
| SJ | 41 | Boris Cheek | 25 | Corrente | Morgan State | retired director of operations and management |
| BJ | 82 | Jimmy Russell | 2 | Allen | Pasco Hernando State | insurance agent |
East 2
|
| R | 23 | Jerome Boger | 17 | | Morehouse College | retired commercial insurance underwriter |
| U | 20 | Barry Anderson | 14 | Allen | North Carolina State | builder/developer |
| DJ | 10 | Julian Mapp | 12 | Rogers | Grambling State | software quality assurance tester |
| LJ | 59 | Rusty Baynes | 11 | Boger | Auburn-Montgomery | general manager, safety services |
| FJ | 104 | Dale Shaw | 8 | Kemp | Allegheny | pharmaceutical sales |
| SJ | 36 | Anthony Jeffries | 3 | Corrente | Alabama-Birmingham | medical sales |
| BJ | 88 | Brad Freeman | 7 | Hussey | Mississippi State | sports park director |
East 3
|
| R | 29 | Adrian Hill | 11 | Hill | Buffalo | aerospace software engineer |
| U | 121 | Paul King | 12 | Hochuli | Nichols College | teacher |
| DJ | 134 | Ed Camp | 21 | Hochuli | William Paterson | physical education teacher |
| LJ | 16 | Kevin Codey | 6 | Hussey | Western New England | middle school physical education teacher |
| FJ | 5 | Jim Quirk | 11 | Hill | Middlebury | financial advisor |
| SJ | 7 | Keith Washington | 13 | (swing) | Virginia Military Institute | program financial analyst |
| BJ | 12 | Greg Steed | 18 | Rogers | Howard | computer systems analyst |
East 4
|
| R | 83 | Shawn Hochuli | 7 | | Claremont | financial advisor |
| U | 128 | Ramón George | 5 | Novak | Lenoir-Rhyne | financial underwriter |
| DJ | 53 | Sarah Thomas | 6 | Torbert | Mobile | sales representative |
| LJ | 101 | Carl Johnson | 17 | Hussey | Nicholls State | retired sales manager, former full-time official |
| FJ | 97 | Tom Hill | 22 | Hochuli | Carson Newman | retired teacher/coach |
| SJ | 125 | Chad Hill | 3 | Novak | Mississippi | medical sales |
| BJ | 39 | Rich Martinez | 7 | Hochuli | Canisius | sales manager |
East 5
|
| R | 35 | John Hussey | 19 | | Idaho State | sales representative |
| U | 81 | Roy Ellison | 18 | Hill | Savannah State | IT engineer |
| DJ | 40 | Brian Bolinger | 4 | Allen | Indiana State | corporate safety director |
| LJ | 100 | Tom Symonette | 17 | Blakeman | Florida | certified public accountant, SIAC officiating coordinator |
| FJ | 22 | Steve Zimmer | 24 | Allen | Hofstra | attorney |
| SJ | 56 | Allen Baynes | 13 | Hussey | Auburn | realtor |
| BJ | 27 | Grantis Bell | 1 | NA | West Virginia | |
East 6
|
| R | 14 | Shawn Smith | 6 | | Ferris State | finance |
| U | 92 | Bryan Neale | 7 | Smith | Indiana | sales consultant |
| DJ | 123 | Mike Dolce | 1 | NA | Grand Valley State | wealth management advisor |
| LJ | 84 | Mark Steinkerchner | 27 | Torbert | Akron | vice president |
| FJ | 109 | Dyrol Prioleau | 14 | Smith | Johnson C Smith | manager, law firm |
| SJ | 86 | Jimmy Buchanan | 12 | Blakeman | South Carolina State | food service director |
| BJ | 105 | Dino Paganelli | 15 | Smith | Aquinas College | educator |
East 7
|
| R | 62 | Ron Torbert | 11 | | Michigan State | attorney |
| U | 131 | Mark Pellis | 7 | Cheffers | Allegheny | financial advisor |
| DJ | 106 | Patrick Holt | 2 | Boger | North Carolina State | IT manager |
| LJ | 48 | Jim Mello | 17 | Allen | Northeastern | facilities manager |
| FJ | 95 | James Coleman | 16 | Hochuli | Arkansas | electrical engineer |
| SJ | 120 | Jonah Monroe | 6 | Boger | Arkansas | engineer |
| BJ | 38 | Greg Yette | 11 | Allen | Howard | defense contractor |
Central crews
Central 1
|
| R | 34 | Clete Blakeman | 13 | | Nebraska | attorney |
| U | 11 | Fred Bryan | 12 | Martin | Northern Iowa | superintendent, juvenile correctional facility |
| DJ | 28 | Mark Hittner | 24 | Smith | Pittsburg State | investment broker |
| LJ | 68 | Tom Stephan | 22 | Anderson | Pittsburg State | retired business broker |
| SJ | 72 | Michael Banks | 19 | Cheffers | Illinois State | carpenter foreman |
| FJ | 57 | Joe Blubaugh | 1 | NA | Pittsburg State | regional sales manager |
| BJ | 93 | Scott Helverson | 18 | Wrolstad | Iowa | sales, printing and promotions |
Central 2
|
| R | 55 | Alex Kemp | 7 | | Central Michigan | insurance agent |
| U | 124 | Carl Paganelli | 21 | Boger | Michigan State | retired federal probation officer |
| DJ | 8 | Dana McKenzie | 13 | Corrente | Toledo | claims adjuster |
| LJ | 98 | Greg Bradley | 12 | Hochuli | Tennessee | chemical engineer |
| FJ | 43 | Terry Brown | 15 | Wrolstad | Tennessee | court director |
| SJ | 26 | Jabir Walker | 6 | Hussey | Murray State | middle school teacher |
| BJ | 96 | Matt Edwards | 3 | Cheffers | Western Michigan | healthcare sales |
Central 3
|
| R | 19 | Clay Martin | 6 | | Oklahoma Baptist | high school administrator |
| U | 115 | Tony Michalek | 19 | Rogers | Indiana | chief executive officer |
| DJ | 74 | Derick Bowers | 18 | Novak | East Central | sales representative |
| LJ | 44 | Frank LeBlanc | 1 | NA | Lamar Institute of Technology | neighborhood services manager |
| FJ | 21 | Jeff Lamberth | 19 | Wrolstad | Texas A&M | attorney |
| SJ | 116 | Mike Weatherford | 19 | Novak | Oklahoma State | oil and gas business |
| BJ | 17 | Steve Patrick | 7 | Vinovich | Jacksonville State | owner, supply company |
Central 4
|
| R | 126 | Brad Rogers | 4 | | Lubbock Christian | college professor |
| U | 110 | Tab Slaughter | 1 | NA | Arkansas State | chief operating officer |
| DJ | 6 | Jerod Phillips | 5 | Martin | Northeastern State | elementary school teacher |
| LJ | 65 | Walt Coleman IV | 6 | Novak | Southern Methodist | portfolio manager |
| FJ | 42 | Nate Jones | 2 | Martin | Rutgers | firefighter/EMT |
| SJ | 103 | Eugene Hall | 7 | Cheffers | North Texas | federal agent |
| BJ | 78 | Greg Meyer | 19 | Hill | Texas Christian | banker |
Central 5
|
| R | 52 | Bill Vinovich | 15 | | San Diego | certified public accountant |
| U | 77 | Terry Killens | 2 | Torbert | Penn State | campus security specialist |
| DJ | 63 | Mike Carr | 4 | Kemp | Wisconsin | athletic director |
| LJ | 45 | Jeff Seeman | 19 | Cheffers | Minnesota | brokerage sales |
| FJ | 118 | David Meslow | 10 | Boger | Augsburg College | sales executive |
| SJ | 58 | Don Willard | 3 | Rogers | Illinois State | physical therapist |
| BJ | 46 | Perry Paganelli | 23 | Blakeman | Hope College | retired high school administrator |
West/flex crews
West 1
|
| R | 51 | Carl Cheffers | 21 | | California-Irvine | sales manager |
| U | 49 | Rich Hall | 17 | Kemp | Arizona | custom cabinetry |
| DJ | 13 | Patrick Turner | 7 | Wrolstad | Cal State-Long Beach | plant manager |
| LJ | 47 | Tim Podraza | 13 | Corrente | Nebraska | business performance consultant |
| FJ | 60 | Gary Cavaletto | 18 | Vinovich | Hancock | general manager, agricultural operations |
| SJ | 18 | Clay Reynard | 1 | NA | California-Davis | customer service representative |
| BJ | 119 | Greg Wilson | 13 | Martin | USC | retired police officer |
West 2
|
| R | 130 | Land Clark | 3 | Hill | Sevier Valley Tech | chief building official |
| U | 76 | Alan Eck | 5 | Hussey | Bloomsburg State | tax manager |
| DJ | 37 | Tripp Sutter | 2 | Wrolstad | Nebraska | biopharmaceutical rep |
| LJ | 75 | Mark Stewart | 3 | Hill | Pittsburg State | rancher |
| FJ | 31 | Mearl Robinson | 4 | Vinovich | Air Force | retired U.S. Air Force instructor |
Note: The side judge and back judge will flex for this crew. This is Clark’s first season at the referee position.
West 3
|
| R | 99 | Tony Corrente | 26 | | Cal State-Fullerton | former college officiating coordinator, retired educator |
| U | 64 | Dan Ferrell | 18 | (swing) | Cal State-Fullerton | retired logistics and supply chain executive |
| DJ | 9 | Mark Perlman | 20 | Vinovich | Salem | teacher |
| LJ | 2 | Bart Longson | 6 | Smith | Brigham Young | finance |
| FJ | 25 | Ryan Dickson | 4 | Torbert | Utah | commercial real estate developer |
| SJ | 90 | Anthony Flemming | 1 | NA | Texas A&M-Commerce | |
| BJ | 30 | Todd Prukop | 12 | Corrente | Cal State-Fullerton | medical sales representative |
Flex 1
|
| R | 1 | Scott Novak | 7 | | Phoenix | sales manager |
| U | 54 | Steve Woods | 4 | Wrolstad | Wabash | financial advisor |
| DJ | 79 | Kent Payne | 17 | Rogers | Nebraska Wesleyan | agribusinessman |
| LJ | 24 | David Oliver | 4 | Hill | Baker | information systems manager |
| FJ | 117 | John Jenkins | 7 | Kemp | St. Mary’s | sales executive |
| SJ | 3 | Scott Edwards | 22 | Torbert | Alabama | environmental engineer |
| BJ | 111 | Terrence Miles | 13 | Novak | Arizona State | quality control manager |
This crew will flex between western and central assigments.
Flex 2
|
| R | 4 | Craig Wrolstad | 18 | | Washington | athletic director |
| U | 71 | Ruben Fowler | 15 | Anderson | Huston-Tillotson | retired firefighter |
| DJ | 91 | Jerry Bergman | 19 | Blakeman | Robert Morris | sales executive |
| LJ | 87 | Tom Eaton | 1 | NA | Central Florida | |
| FJ | 107 | Dave Hawkshaw | 2 | Smith | Justice Institute of B.C. | firefighter |
| SJ | 50 | Aaron Santi | 6 | Rogers | Southern Oregon | middle school principal |
| BJ | 61 | Keith Ferguson | 21 | Anderson | San Jose State | sales |
This crew will be west-coast based and flex as needed.
Swing officials
|
| LJ | 108 | Gary Arthur | 24 | Martin | Wright State | president, commercial printing company |
| SJ | 33 | Tra Blake | 1 | NA | Central Florida | software quality assurance manager |
| BJ | 67 | Tony Josselyn | 3 | Torbert | Eastern Kentucky | probation officer |
| SJ | 114 | Dominique Pender | 1 | NA | Howard | |
