The scrutiny on every pass interference call and holding penalty during the NFL postseason is intense, and the league has now announced the officials tasked with maintaining order in the high-stakes environment of Super Wild Card Weekend.
The officiating crews bring a mix of seasoned veterans and fresh faces to the most high-pressure stage of the season. With six games scheduled across three days, the league has deployed six different crew chiefs, including long-time referees such as Clete Blakeman and Ron Torbert handling marquee games, and Alan Eck stepping up to officiate his first-ever playoff game as a referee.
As every call is scrutinized in the win-or-go-home atmosphere, these “zebra” assignments become a critical, often controversial, element of the entire playoff narrative. And, as fans know too well, the refs can change games.
Get to know the officiating crews for each game of Super Wild Card Weekend.
MORE 2026 NFL PLAYOFFS:
Referees for NFL wild-card weekend
Rams-Panthers
| Position | Official |
| Referee | Clete Blakeman |
| Umpire | Scott Campbell |
| Down Judge | Mike Carr |
| Line Judge | Tripp Sutter |
| Field Judge | Sean Petty |
| Side Judge | Don Willard |
| Back Judge | Dino Paganelli |
Blakeman is officiating his 16th playoff assignment, including having served as the referee for Super Bowl 50. This is a veteran crew typically known for maintaining a firm but not overly intrusive presence, focusing on clear enforcement of major penalties.
Packers-Bears
| Position | Official |
| Referee | Adrian Hill |
| Umpire | Duane Heydt |
| Down Judge | Brian Sakowski |
| Line Judge | Carl Johnson |
| Field Judge | Jeff Shears |
| Side Judge | Allen Baynes |
| Back Judge | Todd Prukop |
Hill is leading his crew for his 6th postseason assignment. This team brings a solid blend of playoff experience from the Down Judge (Carl Johnson, 22 years) and Back Judge (Todd Prukop, 17 years).
Bills-Jaguars
| Position | Official |
| Referee | Brad Allen |
| Umpire | Mike Morton |
| Down Judge | Sarah Thomas |
| Line Judge | Walter Flowers |
| Field Judge | Dyrol Prioleau |
| Side Judge | James Coleman |
| Back Judge | Greg Wilson |
Referee Brad Allen is in his 7th postseason assignment. Notably, this crew includes trailblazer Sarah Thomas as the Down Judge, the first female official in NFL playoff history. Allen’s crew is often cited as being near the league average in terms of total flags thrown.
49ers-Eagles
| Position | Official |
| Referee | Alan Eck |
| Umpire | Paul King |
| Down Judge | Tom Stephan |
| Line Judge | Jeff Seeman |
| Field Judge | Dave Hawkshaw |
| Side Judge | Dominique Pender |
| Back Judge | Tony Josselyn |
Eck is officiating his first-ever playoff game as a Referee (he has worked two other playoff games as an Umpire. He has been the subject of discussion for 49ers fans, as the Eagles are 8-1 when Eck is assigned to their games.
Chargers-Patriots
| Position | Official |
| Referee | Ron Torbert |
| Umpire | Steve Woods |
| Down Judge | Jay Bilbo |
| Line Judge | Mark Stewart |
| Field Judge | Ryan Dickson |
| Side Judge | Keith Washington |
| Back Judge | Jimmy Russell |
This crew is one of the most decorated, led by Super Bowl LVI and LIX Referee Ron Torbert, who is on his 15th postseason assignment. Torbert is a veteran known for a generally hands-off approach compared to some others, often allowing players to play, although his crews have been ranked near the middle of the league in total flags thrown.
Texans-Steelers
| Position | Official |
| Referee | Craig Wrolstad |
| Umpire | Ramon George |
| Down Judge | James Veraldi |
| Line Judge | Jeff Bergman |
| Field Judge | Mearl Robinson |
| Field Judge | Dave Hawkshaw |
| Back Judge | Grantis Bell |
Wrolstad, who is heading his 8th postseason crew, is known as a veteran with a clear and consistent style. His crews typically rank slightly higher in total penalties, often focusing on infractions such as illegal formation and defensive holding.
MORE 2026 NFL PLAYOFFS:
NFL officials’ on-field responsibilities
| Position | Primary Location & Focus |
| Referee | 10-12 yards deep in the offensive backfield. Wears the distinctive white hat. |
| Umpire | 10-12 yards deep in the offensive backfield, near the Referee. |
| Down Judge | On the sideline, directly on the LOS. Works opposite the Line Judge. |
| Line Judge | On the sideline, directly on the LOS. Works opposite the Down Judge. |
| Field Judge | 20 yards deep in the defensive backfield, on the same side as the Line Judge. |
| Side Judge | 20 yards deep in the defensive backfield, on the same side as the Down Judge. |
| Back Judge | 25 yards deep in the defensive backfield, usually near the tight end side. |
The Crew Chiefs: The Referee is the final authority on all rulings, acting as the crew chief and focusing primarily on the quarterback (monitoring for roughing the passer and intentional grounding). The Umpire is focused on the interior linemen, watching for offensive holding and illegal blocks at the line of scrimmage, in addition to checking player equipment and counting offensive players.
The Sideline & Clock Monitors: The Down Judge and Line Judge patrol opposite sidelines, ensuring players are not offsides or encroaching and ruling on forward progress. The Down Judge also directs the chain crew. Deeper in the secondary, the Field Judge and Side Judge are positioned 20 yards off the line. They mirror each other, watching the widest receivers for pass interference and illegal contact, and marking plays that go out of bounds. The Field Judge is responsible for the 25-second play clock, while the Side Judge serves as the backup game clock operator.
The Deep Central Monitor: The Back Judge stands the deepest, typically focusing on the area between the safeties. Their central responsibilities include tracking the 40/25-second play clock, ruling on the validity of catches in the deep middle, and watching for action around the end zone and goalposts.
