The NFL announced 5 officials are joining the NFL in the 2025 season. All have worked varying amounts of time in the development portal, the Mackie Development Program, named after the late head linesman and development executive Wayne Mackie.
| U | R | Larry Smith | 6 | 5 | Big Ten | PEACH UFL |
| U | R | Marcus Woods | 6 | 0 | ACC | LAS VEGAS |
| DJ-LJ | L | Quentin Givens | 8 | 6 | Big 12 | UFL |
| DJ-LJ | H | Andy Warner | 3 | 4 | Big 12 | 1ST ROUND CFP RELIAQUEST UFL |
| BJ | B | Courtney Brown | 1 | 1 | Mountain West | FENWAY |
Participation in the MDP is estimated for the previous two seasons, based on the best available information. Quentin Givens has noncontinuous service in the program going back to 2015, the third year of existence.
Two of the five new officials are in the orbit of the Big 12; one each have been hired from the Big Ten, ACC, and Mountain West. The SEC has not placed an official in the NFL for two years, after having four officials hired in 2023 in a huge hiring spree of 12 new officials. Even the crumbling Pac-12 was able to place two officials last season.
Larry Smith and Marcus Woods have been at the referee position in college, but will be working at the umpire position in the NFL. All others are working in their college position, except that the two line-of-scrimmage officials may work the opposite side of the field.
Three of the officials are currently working in the UFL, although Smith is officially on the “inactive” list according to the UFL officiating department. Smith was the referee for the 2023 USFL championship game.
Another former player, defensive back Courtney Brown, has been added to the roster, increasing to three current officials with NFL player experience. (One other official was never elevated from practice squads and another is a former CFL and Arena Football player.) Brown was a 7th round draft choice of the Cowboys in 2007.
Jersey numbers have not yet been assigned.
There are at least four departures from the 2024 season, but at this point those individuals have not been confirmed by Football Zebras.
Update: We corrected the mention of the alliance between the Big 12 and the Mountain West Conference. That concluded in 2024, and Mountain West is unofficially aligned with the ACC.
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