The discussion around refereeing in the NFL has never been louder. Whether fabricated or based on reality, every decision officials make is put under a microscope. So, with heightening stakes and competition, the referee crew needs to be top-notch as well.
The league unveiled the refs who don the black-and-white stripes in the Conference Championship Games. Here’s a look at who will be responsible for those flags and whistles.
NFL Conference Championship Games Referee Assignments
Each officiating team will bring on a mix of on-field officials and alternates to create a robust system for handling the high-stakes atmosphere of the playoffs. The Tier 1 officials not already assigned to the Super Bowl are distributed among the Conference Championship Games. Each referee must have a minimum of three years of experience and previous playoff experience.
The Conference Championship Games are a single-day extravaganza on Sunday, Jan. 26th. First, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Commanders will play in the NFC Championship Game, followed by a highly anticipated matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills for the AFC Championship.
Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles (Sunday, 3:00 p.m. ET)
- Shawn Hochuli (referee)
- Mike Morton (umpire)
- Jerod Phillips (down judge)
- Julian Mapp (line judge)
- John Jenkins (field judge)
- Chad Hill (side judge)
- Scott Helverson (back judge)
- Tyler Cerimeli (replay official)
- Jim Van Geffen (replay assistant)
After a Wild Card Round match and seven Divisional Round games under his belt, Shawn Hochuli, son of the legendary Ed Hochuli, is finally making his Conference Championship debut. His father was the referee for nine of them in his career, and the younger Hochuli is finally taking the step up to that level as well.
The crew under Hochuli worked 16 games this season, averaging 13.8 penalties a game, the fourth-highest mark in the league. The Eagles have a 6-0 record with him over the past five seasons, whereas Washington is at 1-2. However, both teams are 1-0 this season in games he has officiated.
Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET)
- Clete Blakeman (referee)
- Terry Killens (umpire)
- Patrick Holt (down judge)
- Jeff Seeman (line judge)
- Anthony Flemming (field judge)
- Don Willard (side judge)
- Todd Prukop (back judge)
- Chad Adams (replay official)
- Bryant Thompson (replay assistant)
The conversation around the Chiefs was going to force a lot of scrutiny on this choice, and choosing Clete Blakeman, who is among the best officials in the NFL, was certainly a smart choice. This matchup will be his sixth Conference Championship game and 16th playoff game overall.
His crew, however, is extremely tight with the rules, throwing the most penalties this season with an average of 15.8. If history is anything to go by, his appointment favors the Bills in a major way, who are 5-2 under his eye over the past five seasons, compared to 3-4 for the Chiefs.
Moreover, six of Patrick Mahomes’ 26 losses have come under Blakeman, the highest mark for any referee in the league, with just five wins alongside. With the game sure to be immensely scrutinized, it should be interesting to see how the conversation rolls with Blakeman at the helm.