NFL sets Week 5 officiating crews amid referee suspensions
The NFL has released its referee assignments for Week 5 of the 2026 season. Alex Moore will work Thursday's Buccaneers-Cowboys game in Dallas. Clay Martin will lead the crew for Bears-Packers while Adrian Hill serves a one-game suspension, and Brian Perry will replace Jeff Seeman in Steelers-Colts as Seeman serves a multi-game suspension.
Week 5 also includes an early Sunday game in London, where Ron Torbert is assigned to Eagles-Jaguars. Other Sunday referees include Brad Rogers, Craig Wrolstad, John Hussey, Bill Vinovich, Shawn Smith, Alex Kemp, Clete Blakeman, Shawn Hochuli, Carl Cheffers, Land Clark, and Brad Allen; Scott Novak handles Bills-Rams on Monday.
Alan Eck's crew is idle this week, and most of Clay Martin's usual crew is off as Martin works in Green Bay with Adrian Hill's crew. Line judge Brian Perry steps in for Jeff Seeman in Pittsburgh. Hill's one-game ban is described as unprecedented for a referee during a season, while Seeman's multi-game penalty is the first of its kind for an on-field official in roughly five decades.
These officiating changes could affect players, coaches, and fans by placing unfamiliar crews in key Week 5 games, potentially altering communication and consistency. The suspensions may also draw more scrutiny to the NFL's disciplinary process and how replacement officials are evaluated. Because crews prepare and review together, the practical effect may be limited to specific games rather than the entire season, though bettors and fantasy players might watch assignments more closely.