A Look at the Officiating Crew Assigned to Giants-Colts Week 17 Game

The Giants are drawing referee Bill Vinovich for the first time since the 2022 season.

NFL referee Bill Vinovich's crew will officiate the New York Giants-Indianapolis Colts Week 17 game. / Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

The New York Giants close out their 2024 regular-season home slate against the Indianapolis Colts, and veteran referee Bill Vinovich and his crew will officiate the game.  

Vinovich is a 19-year NFL officiating veteran in his 16th season as a referee, making him the second-longest serving referee (behind Carl Cheffers, who is in his 17th season as a referee) among the rostered officials.

His crew consists of umpire Scott Walker, down judge Dae Keller, line judge Tripp Sutter, field judge Aaron Santi, side judge Jimmy Buchanan, back judge Todd Prukop, replay official Denise Crudup and replay assistant Chad Wakefield.

Keller and Buchanan were with Vinovich’s crew last season.

This year, Vinovich’s crew has called the fifth-fewest penalties among officiating crews (172 in 14 games worked). This will be the crew’s first assignment officiating a Giants game this season and his first Giants assignment since Week 10 in 2022 (Giants vs. Houston), in which the crew called 12 penalties in that game.

Vinovich, the referee in last year’s Super Bowl, is also a college basketball official. The 64-year-old initially served as an NFL official from 2001-2006 (first as a side judge for referees Dick Hantak and Ed Hochuli). 

Vinovich took a leave of absence due to health concerns, but he returned to the NFL in 2012 once given a clean bill of health. In addition to last year’s Super Bowl, he has drawn nine other postseason assignments. 

Vinovich is the only NFL referee in history to have officiated two Super Bowl meetings between the same teams (Kansas City and San Francisco, Super Bowls LIV and LVIII).

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