NFL announces officiating crew for KC Chiefs-Bengals AFC Championship Game
Referees generally don’t get much attention in NFL Films’ “Turning Point” segments, but there was an exception with Bill Vinovich.
Chiefs fans may recall the fantastic video breakdown of “2-3 Jet Chip Wasp” from Super Bowl LIV, and Vinovich received some of the attention before the iconic play.
Vinovich again will be seen by Chiefs fans as he’s assigned to work Sunday’s AFC Championship Game.
Officiating assignments for the Conference Championships are set: https://t.co/P1sK3saPg9.#CINvsKC – Bill Vinovich#SFvsLAR – Carl Cheffers pic.twitter.com/woyHbpTKF9
— NFL Officiating (@NFLOfficiating) January 24, 2022
Vinovich, who has been an NFL official since 2001, also worked last year’s AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium. He also was a referee for the Chiefs’ season-opening win over the Browns and KC’s victory at Las Vegas in November.
The Chiefs have won the previous four games in which Vinovich has worked, including two postseason contests.
Football Zebras wrote this: “Vinovich is a perennial top-tier official, as for 7 of the last 8 postseasons, he has earned an assignment to either the Conference Championship or the Super Bowl. He is the first referee to accomplish that feat since Jerry Markbreit worked 5 Conference Championships and 2 Super Bowls in the 8-year span from 1989 to 1996.”
Here is the rest of the crew for Sunday’s game, per the NFL:
Umpire: Fred Bryan
Down judge: Ed Camp
Line judge: Jeff Seeman
Field judge: Mearl Robinson
Side judge: Jonah Monroe
Back judge: Greg Meyer
Replay official: Mark Butterworth
Replay assistant: Larry Hanson