2021 Divisional Playoffs
Blakeman, Torbert, Hochuli, and Hussey are Divisional Playoff referees
Clete Blakeman, Ron Torbert, Shawn Hochuli, and John Hussey are the referees for the Divisional Playoffs.
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.
Five alternates are assigned to each game: a referee, an umpire, a line of scrimmage official (down judge or line judge), a deep wing official (field judge or side judge), and a 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.
Scheduled assignments are subject to change.
Saturday, Jan. 22
AFC Divisional: Bengals at Titans, 4:30 p.m. CBS Para+
Clete Blakeman is the referee, who is in his 14th season and 12th as referee. This is Blakeman’s 12th postseason assignment, including 4 Wild Card Playoffs, 4 Divisional Playoffs, 3 Conference Championships, and Super Bowl 50.
| Yrs | 2021 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 34 | Clete Blakeman | 14 | Nebraska | attorney | |
| U | 115 | Tony Michalek | 20 | Vinovich | Indiana | chief executive officer |
| DJ | 79 | Kent Payne | 18 | Rogers | Nebraska Wesleyan | agribusinessman |
| LJ | 9 | Mark Perlman | 21 | Vinovich | Salem | teacher |
| FJ | 36 | Anthony Jeffries | 4 | Corrente | Alabama-Birmingham | medical sales |
| SJ | 58 | Don Willard | 4 | Corrente | Illinois State | physical therapist |
| BJ | 38 | Greg Yette | 12 | Allen | Howard | defense contractor |
| RO | Mike Wimmer | 19 | Smith | NYU | producer | |
| RA | Sebrina Brunson | 2 | Smith | Florida Atlantic | case specialist | |
| ALT | R | Craig Wrolstad | 19 | Washington | athletic director | |
| ALT | U | Ramon George | 6 | Novak | Lenoir-Rhyne | financial underwriter |
| ALT | LJ | Walt Coleman IV | 7 | Novak | Southern Methodist | portfolio manager |
| ALT | FJ | Nate Jones | 3 | Cheffers | Rutgers | firefighter/EMT |
| ALT | BJ | Perry Paganelli | 24 | Blakeman | Hope College | retired high school administrator |
NFC Divisional: 49ers at Packers, 8:15 p.m. Fox
Ron Torbert is the referee, who is in his 12th season and 8th as referee. This is Torbert’s 9th postseason assignment, including 3 Wild Card Playoffs and 6 Divisional Playoffs.
| Yrs | 2021 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 62 | Ron Torbert | 12 | Michigan State | attorney | |
| U | 92 | Bryan Neale | 8 | Smith | Indiana | sales consultant |
| DJ | 24 | David Oliver | 5 | Hill | Baker | information systems manager |
| LJ | 59 | Rusty Baynes | 12 | Boger | Auburn-Montgomery | general manager, safety services |
| FJ | 25 | Ryan Dickson | 5 | Torbert | Utah | commercial real estate developer |
| SJ | 41 | Boris Cheek | 26 | Allen | Morgan State | retired director of operations and management |
| BJ | 93 | Scott Helverson | 19 | Kemp | Iowa | sales, printing and promotions |
| RO | Roddy Ames | 4 | Hill | Colby College | attorney | |
| RA | Joe Wollan | 2 | Hill | St. Thomas | recruiting | |
| ALT | R | Brad Allen | 8 | Pembroke State | non-profit CEO | |
| ALT | U | Tab Slaughter | 2 | Blakeman | Arkansas State | chief operating officer |
| ALT | DJ | Jerod Phillips | 6 | Martin | Northeastern State | elementary school teacher |
| ALT | FJ | Mike Weatherford | 20 | Novak | Oklahoma State | oil and gas business |
| ALT | BJ | Tony Josselyn | 4 | Torbert | Eastern Kentucky | probation officer |
Sunday, Jan. 23
NFC Divisional: Rams at Buccaneers, 3:00 p.m. NBC Peacock
Shawn Hochuli is the referee, who is in his 8th season and 4th as referee. This is Hochuli’s 6th postseason assignment, including a Wild Card Playoff and 5 Divisional Playoffs.
| Yrs | 2021 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 83 | Shawn Hochuli | 8 | Claremont | financial advisor | |
| U | 77 | Terry Killens | 3 | Hochuli | Penn State | campus security specialist |
| DJ | 74 | Derick Bowers | 19 | Novak | East Central | sales representative |
| LJ | 98 | Greg Bradley | 13 | Hochuli | Tennessee | chemical engineer |
| FJ | 43 | Terry Brown | 16 | Wrolstad | Tennessee | court director |
| SJ | 7 | Keith Washington | 14 | Torbert | Virginia Military Institute | program financial analyst |
| BJ | 105 | Dino Paganelli | 16 | Smith | Aquinas College | educator |
| RO | Tyler Cerimeli | 4 | Hochuli | Arizona State | high school officials coordinator | |
| RA | Mark Bitar | 2 | Hochuli | Seton Hall | teacher | |
| ALT | R | Shawn Smith | 7 | Ferris State | finance | |
| ALT | U | Fred Bryan | 13 | Martin | Northern Iowa | superintendent, juvenile correctional facility |
| ALT | DJ | Sarah Thomas | 7 | Hussey | Mobile | sales representative |
| ALT | FJ | Mearl Robinson | 5 | Hill | Air Force | retired U.S. Air Force instructor |
| ALT | BJ | Rich Martinez | 8 | Hochuli | Canisius | sales manager |
AFC Divisional: Bills at Chiefs, 6:30 p.m. CBS Para+
John Hussey is the referee, who is in his 20th season and 7th as referee. This is Hussey’s 15th postseason assignment, including 6 Wild Card Playoffs, 5 Divisional Playoffs, 3 Conference Championships, and Super Bowl XLV. His Super Bowl assignment was as a line judge.
| Yrs | 2021 crew | College | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 35 | John Hussey | 20 | Idaho State | sales representative | |
| U | 76 | Alan Eck | 6 | Hussey | Bloomsburg State | tax manager |
| DJ | 28 | Mark Hittner | 25 | Smith | Pittsburg State | investment broker |
| LJ | 101 | Carl Johnson | 18 | Hussey | Nicholls State | retired sales manager, former full-time official |
| FJ | 15 | Rick Patterson | 26 | Allen | Wofford | banker |
| SJ | 56 | Allen Baynes | 14 | Hussey | Auburn | realtor |
| BJ | 30 | Todd Prukop | 13 | Corrente | Cal State-Fullerton | medical sales representative |
| RO | Jamie Nicholson | 4 | Hussey | Ferris State | teacher | |
| RA | Denise Crudup | 2 | Hussey | Wilmington | accounts payable analyst | |
| ALT | R | Clay Martin | 7 | Oklahoma Baptist | high school administrator | |
| ALT | U | Carl Paganelli | 22 | Rogers | Michigan State | retired federal probation officer |
| ALT | DJ | Jerry Bergman | 20 | Cheffers | Robert Morris | sales executive |
| ALT | SJ | Eugene Hall | 8 | Cheffers | North Texas | federal agent |
| ALT | BJ | Brad Freeman | 8 | Hussey | Mississippi State | sports park director |
