John Hussey heads the crew for the Hall of Fame Game

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The NFL’s 105th season begins tonight at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, the birthplace of professional football. John Hussey will lead a mixed crew in the first preseason game of 2024 between the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans.

This crew is loaded with experience, as the on-field officials average almost 20 prior seasons. (The number of seasons shown in the table includes 2024.)

Down judge Derek Bowers will get an extra preseason rep after he was injured in the first quarter of his first game last season. Bowers was out for the season barely after it began. Side judge Allen Baynes worked Super Bowl LVIII at side judge and was on the opposite side of the field from the game-winning touchdown in overtime. James Coleman works at the field judge position for this game, but will be the side judge on Clete Blakeman’s crew this season.

Always good to see the officials in Canton. Maybe there will be a second official enshrined there in the near future.

			Yrs	2024 crew	College	Occupation
R	35	John Hussey	23		Idaho State	nonprofit founder and CEO
U	115	Tony Michalek	23	Hussey	Indiana	chief executive officer
DJ	74	Derick Bowers	22	Eck	East Central	sales representative
LJ	45	Jeff Seeman	23	Smith	Minnesota	brokerage sales
FJ	95	James Coleman	20	Blakeman	Arkansas	electrical engineer
SJ	56	Allen Baynes	17	Hussey	Auburn	realtor
BJ	111	Terrence Miles	17	Novak	Arizona State	quality control manager
RO		Andrew Lambert	7	Hussey	Central Virginia Community College	business development
RA		Sebrina Brunson	5	Hussey	Florida Atlantic	case specialist