History
To officials that work today at all levels, thanks for giving your time
The NFL has had 239 Thanksgiving Day games

Thanksgiving and football was already an American tradition when the NFL had a Thanksgiving sextupleheader in its inaugural season in 1920. As the the NFL kicks off its 239th Thanksgiving game tonight, we salute the people who make the game a game and not just a scrimmage: the officials. We salute all who give some of their time to the tradition from the pros down to the local rivalry games.
Here is a list of officials that worked at least 5 NFL Thanksgiving Day games, including those assigned today, marked with a turkey leg.
Official | S₁ | Sₓ | R | U | LOS | Deep | Replay | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bobbie Cahn | 1923 | 1942 | 14 | 14 | ||||
Jack Reardon | 1925 | 1936 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 12 | ||
Joe Connell | 1952 | 1978 | 9 | 9 | ||||
Tom Kelleher | 1960 | 1987 | 8 | 8 | ||||
Derick Bowers |
2003 | 8 | 8 | |||||
Mark Baltz | 1989 | 2013 | 7 | 7 | ||||
Don Carlsen | 1989 | 2012 | 7 | 7 | ||||
Ray Dodez | 1968 | 1985 | 6 | 1 | 7 | |||
Dick Dolack | 1966 | 1990 | 7 | 7 | ||||
Fritz Graf | 1960 | 1983 | 7 | 7 | ||||
Tom Hensley | 1967 | 1987 | 4 | 3 | 7 | |||
Perry Paganelli | 1998 | 2022 | 7 | 7 | ||||
Jim Quirk (II) | 2010 | 3 | 4 | 7 | ||||
Burl Toler | 1965 | 1989 | 7 | 7 | ||||
Boris Cheek |
1996 | 7 | 7 | |||||
Bill Downes | 1941 | 1965 | 6 | 6 | ||||
Jim Durfee | 1921 | 1937 | 5 | 1 | 6 | |||
Chuck Heberling | 1965 | 1986 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||
Gerry Austin | 1982 | 2007 | 2 | 4 | 6 | |||
Larry Nemmers | 1985 | 2007 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | ||
Fred Swearingen | 1960 | 1980 | 1 | 5 | 6 | |||
Charlie Berry | 1940 | 1961 | 6 | 6 | ||||
Al Conway | 1969 | 1996 | 6 | 6 | ||||
Pat Mallette | 1969 | 1994 | 6 | 6 | ||||
Mark Perlman | 2000 | 2023 | 6 | 6 | ||||
Gordon Wells | 1972 | 1993 | 6 | 6 | ||||
Dick Creed | 1978 | 1998 | 4 | 2 | 6 | |||
Earnie Frantz | 1981 | 2001 | 3 | 3 | 6 | |||
Dino Paganelli | 2006 | 5 | 5 | |||||
Tommy Bell | 1962 | 1976 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Tommy Hughitt | 1925 | 1949 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Jim Tunney | 1960 | 1990 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Gene Barth | 1971 | 1990 | 4 | 1 | 5 | |||
Mike Carey | 1990 | 2013 | 4 | 1 | 5 | |||
Fred Silva | 1967 | 1988 | 4 | 1 | 5 | |||
Dick Jorgensen | 1969 | 1989 | 3 | 2 | 5 | |||
Fred Wyant | 1966 | 1992 | 3 | 2 | 5 | |||
Dave Anderson | 1984 | 2002 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Ed Camp | 2000 | 2021 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Gary Cavaletto | 2003 | 2021 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Ed Coukart | 1989 | 2005 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Roy Ellison | 2003 | 5 | 5 | |||||
Ruben Fowler | 2006 | 2020 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Pat Harder | 1966 | 1982 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Jack Johnson | 1976 | 1990 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Jim Kearney | 1978 | 1993 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Jeff Lamberth | 2002 | 2022 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Ron Marinucci | 1997 | 2017 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Tony Michalek | 2002 | 5 | 5 | |||||
Charley Musser | 1965 | 1984 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Lou Palazzi | 1952 | 1981 | 4 | 1 | 5 | |||
Walt Peters | 1968 | 1985 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Wilfred Smith | 1929 | 1938 | 3 | 2 | 5 | |||
Tom Stabile | 1995 | 2014 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Chuck Sweeney | 1941 | 1964 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Dan Tehan | 1933 | 1964 | 4 | 1 | 5 | |||
Armen Terzian | 1961 | 1981 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Paul Trepinski | 1963 | 1978 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Tony Veteri (II) | 1992 | 2016 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Hendi Ancich | 1982 | 1998 | 3 | 2 | 5 | |||
Bob McGrath | 1993 | 2001 | 1 | 4 | 5 | |||
Kent Payne |
2004 | 5 | 5 | |||||
Greg Bradley |
2009 | 4 | 1 | 5 | ||||
Terrence Miles |
2009 | 5 | 5 | |||||