Get To Know Lead Officials For 2023 NFL Season

NFL fans are excited to learn as much as they can about the players and coaches ahead of the season. While it may not be as thrilling to think about, NFL referees are also going to have an impact on the outcome of games. It would behoove fans to become more familiarized with the individuals who communicate the infractions taking place on the field.

Allen has been a referee since 2014, and his crews have consistently been under the league average in penalties per game and penalty yards per game except for 2016. Teams playing under Allen’s jurisdiction might be more likely to try and get away with certain things given his track record of leniency. Off the field, he is the CEO of a non-profit organization.

Blake has worked his way up the ranks quickly in the NFL, having been named a referee last season in only his third year in the league. It might not be surprising that Blake’s crew was predisposed to throw flags on a consistent basis as he found his comfort level in the lead role. Blake works for a software company when he is not blowing the whistle on the field.

If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident, please call Blakeman. The NFL referee is a man of the law through and through, as he’s a practicing attorney in addition to working in professional sports. He worked the Super Bowl in the 2015 season, where the Denver Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers.

He’s one of the most accomplished current referees in the NFL. The league has tabbed Cheffers to call three Super Bowls, including two of the last three. He might be held in high regard because his crew’s tendencies tend to even out over the course of his time as an NFL referee, which started back in 2008.

Clark is another fast riser through the officiating landscape, as he was promoted to referee in his third season as an NFL official. His crew’s metrics tend to be flag intensive, although penalty per game statistics dipped in 2022. He works with building code off the field in his home city of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Accuracy is important to Eck on the field and in his spreadsheets. He’s a CPA who serves as a tax manager for a Georgia-based construction company, but is also going to be a referee for the first time during the 2023 season. Eck has spent the last six seasons working as an umpire, so NFL fans will get to hear his voice for the first time.

Hill has earned his stripes, so to speak, on the NFL level. He has a good idea of the challenges and responsibilities of many officials on the field because he’s done so many of the jobs firsthand. Before spending the last four years as a referee, Hill spent time as a side judge, field judge and line judge. He also moonlights as a software engineer who collaborates with NASA.

Longtime NFL fans are familiar with the surname, as Hochuli’s dad Ed was known for his detailed explanations and sturdy biceps. The younger Hochuli has picked up the family business quite well, having spent the last five years as a referee. Shawn is also a financial advisor who creates investment portfolios for his clients.

Hussey is used to players barking at him when they disagree with penalty calls, but is also accustomed to working with dogs outside of NFL stadiums. He’s the CEO of a company called CUDDLY, which aims to rescue animals in need of a loving home. He worked in the 2011 Super Bowl as a line judge.

Like Hochuli, Kemp is also the son of a former NFL referee. Stan Kemp’s officiating career ended in 1992, while Alex’s stands to continue for a long time. He’s been a referee for the past five seasons, and has worked a playoff game in each of the last three campaigns. Kemp owns an insurance company in Michigan.

Martin is a part of the seemingly large contingent of officials who were bumped up to referee ahead of the 2018 season. He is known to have a polite demeanor that serves him well in his NFL capacity. Martin is also a basketball coach for Jenks High School in Oklahoma, and has a reputation of getting the most out of his team.

Novak was a jack of all trades during the 2018 NFL season, serving as a field judge, side judge and umpire throughout the course of that campaign. He was rewarded with a promotion to referee in 2019. Novak is looking to establish himself amongst the newer crop of referees, as he hasn’t been tabbed to call a playoff game in the last two seasons.

Rogers is used to giving his opinion on things, as he’s a business professor at Lubbock Christian University. While he’s not grading papers, he’s throwing flags and determining whether actions fall within the confines of NFL rules. Officiating is not something he always grew up wanting to do, as someone encouraged Rogers to try it as a student, and he never looked back.

Smith has a professional background that focuses on processes running the way they should. Before he became an NFL official in 2015, he cut his teeth as an internal auditor. That attention to detail is a plus in his refereeing capacity, which he has been in since 2018. Smith’s crews were under the league average in penalties per game in each of the last three seasons.

Torbert might be one of the most accomplished individuals in the officiating landscape. He has a degree from Harvard Law, and is interested in the totality of the action that takes place on the field. Torbert enjoys the challenge of trying to maintain control of the entire game. He was the referee during the 2022 Super Bowl between the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams.

There was no guarantee that Vinovich would be able to work in the NFL for as long as he has. In 2007, the referee suffered heart trauma which put his future in jeopardy. Vinovich was named as a referee in 2004, and was able to pick right back where he left off in 2012 after a few years on the sidelines. He’s been the referee of two Super Bowls in his career.

He’s had an interesting career as a referee. It seemed like he was on a strong path early on, as he worked playoff games in two of his first three years. Wrolstad then went without a playoff assignment for four years, before receiving one each of the last two years. He worked the 2013 Super Bowl as a field judge.