The AFC North seemed like an impossibly hard division to predict, with three of its four teams having genuine playoff aspirations, and the Cleveland Browns possessing a defense that could wreck any game on its head. But through six weeks, it would be hard to find anyone who would have predicted the state of these teams. The Pittsburgh Steelers lead the North with a 4-1 record, while the other three teams have four combined wins.
The Cincinnati Bengals, at least, have the luxury of a caveat, with Joe Burrow taken out of the game in Week 2 with a Grade 3 turf toe injury. With Jake Browning handling the backup role, things quickly spiraled out of control for the Bengals, who had to pull the trigger on a Joe Flacco trade to try to salvage the season.
When the two sides face off on Thursday Night Football in a heated matchup, the NFL will try to ensure that the game is played fairly and officiated accurately.
Who Are the Referees for the Steelers vs. Bengals Game?
A divisional game is typically very intense, with the familiarity and competitiveness shining through between two teams that face off at least twice a year. As a result, the league would want to ensure that the matchup is fairly officiated.
Add in the spotlight of a standalone Thursday Night matchup, and the game becomes one with an added focus. With complaints against the referees coming out seemingly every game, let alone every week, a primetime matchup isn’t where the NFL would want those same conversations to start again.
As a result, they aren’t taking any chances to begin Week 7 when a seven-year veteran in Clay Martin assumes officiating duties alongside his crew. Assigned for six games so far, his unit has called 84 penalties, tied for the sixth-highest mark in the league and seventh-highest if we go by per-game numbers.
Read More: AFC North Playoff Scenarios: TNF’s Steelers vs Bengals Game Has Massive Playoff Picture Impact
A native of Pensacola, Florida, Martin was an All-State football and basketball player at the high school level. He also serves as the athletic director at Jenks High School, and he is a member of the Oklahoma Baptist University Hall of Fame and the Tulsa Public Schools Hall of Fame.
First joining the NFL in 2015 as an umpire, he was promoted to referee in 2018, after both Terry McAulay and Gene Steratore called it a career. Here is the complete list of officials on Martin’s crew:
- Head Referee: Clay Martin
- Umpire: Steve Woods
- Down Judge: Jerod Phillips
- Line Judge: Brian Perry
- Field Judge: Dave Hawkshaw
- Side Judge: Alonzo Ramsey
- Back Judge:Â Greg Wilson
- Replay Official: Bryant Thompson
- Replay Assistant: Artenzia Young-Seigler
