The NFL has hired six new officials for 2019, Football Zebras reports. The new officials are Jimmy Russell, Patrick Holt, Nate Jones, Dave Hawkshaw, Terry Killens and Tripp Sutter.
Jones was a seventh-round choice of the Cowboys in 2004. A defensive back, he played eight NFL seasons, seeing time with Dallas, Miami, Denver and New England.
He becomes the fourth former NFL player on an officiating crew.
The league fired one official and had four others retire. It also has increased the number of swing officials from two to three. Swing officials -- an umpire, line-of-scrimmage official and deep wing -- move among crews through the season.
The NFL also has named three new referees, promoting Adrian Hill, Scott Novak and Brad Rogers, according to Football Zebras. They replace retiring referees Walt Coleman, Pete Morelli and John Parry.
The NFL has promoted 10 officials to referee in the past six years.
Yvonda Lewis will become the third woman on an officiating staff, joining referee Brad Allen’s crew as a replay assistant. Terri Valenti is a replay official on referee John Hussey’s crew, and Sarah Thomas is a down judge on referee Ron Torbert’s crew.
Thomas enters her fifth season as an official.
