NFL Announces New Officiating Crews Ahead of 2024 Playoffs

The NFL is gearing up for the playoffs, and with that comes the announcement of new officiating crews. Based on recent updates, five new officials will join the league starting in the 2025 season. These officials have come through various developmental programs, including the Mackie Development Program, named after the late head linesman, Wayne Mackie.

Participation in this program has been essential for their growth, with estimations being made based on the previous two seasons. Among the newly hired officials, Quentin Givens stands out, as he has been with the program since its inception in 2015. The new hires are drawing from multiple divisions; two officials are from the Big 12, while one each comes from the Big Ten, ACC, and Mountain West.

Interestingly, the SEC has not placed an official in the NFL for two years, while the Pac-12 managed to place two officials last season. Both Larry Smith and Marcus Woods, who have experience as referees at the college level, will now transition to the umpire position in the NFL. Most of the others will stay in their usual roles unless they are line-of-scrimmage officials, who may switch sides during the game.

Moreover, three of the new officials come from the UFL, with Smith, who officiated the championship game in 2023, currently inactive, and Courtney Brown, a former NFL defensive back, added to the roster, bringing the total to three officials with NFL player experience.

As the playoffs approach, the NFL has started assigning officiating crews for the upcoming 2024 Wild Card Playoffs, the 2024 AFC Championship, and the Super Bowl LIX. This year’s Super Bowl will feature a less experienced officiating crew by the numbers, which may impact the championship’s dynamics. Several notable officiating assignments have also been made, with Hochuli and Blakeman set to handle the Conference Championships, while Martin, Torbert, Smith, and Cheffers will officiate the Divisional Playoffs.

With changes and new additions, the officiating staff is evolving, and fans are keen to see how these new officials will perform in the upcoming highly anticipated games. The NFL remains committed to developing a robust pipeline of trained officials to ensure fair play on the field.