For the first time in 2026, the NFL will open its regular season on a Wednesday, with the Seattle Seahawks hosting the New England Patriots at Lumen Field on September 9. The matchup is a rematch of Super Bowl LX.
Adrian Hill will be the referee, leading the officiating crew for the 2026 NFL Kickoff. He will oversee the calls in a game that brings together the defending Super Bowl champion and the Patriots in the first game of the new campaign.
With the spotlight firmly on Seattle, the rest of Hill’s crew will also have an important role as the season gets underway. Penalties, reviews and close calls can quickly become part of the story in a matchup carrying plenty of history.
Who are the other officials for Seahawks vs Patriots?
The other officials working Seahawks vs. Patriots alongside referee Adrian Hill are Roy Ellison, Derick Bowers, Julian Mapp, Tra Boger, Glen Fucik and Greg Steed.
Ellison is the umpire, Bowers the down judge, Mapp the line judge, Boger the field judge, Fucik the side judge and Steed the back judge. Bob Hubbell is the replay official and Durwood Manley is the replay assistant.
Adrian Hill in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game in 2026 (Source: Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
The crew has a mix of experience and newer faces. Ellison enters his 24th NFL season, while Bowers and Steed are also both entering their 24th. Mapp has 18 seasons of NFL experience, while Boger is entering his fifth.
That experience will be put to the test immediately, with Hill’s crew assigned on September 9 opener between the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks and the Patriots at Lumen Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET.
What is Adrian Hill’s NFL officiating experience?
Adrian Hill enters the 2026 NFL season with 17 years of league experience and is beginning his eighth season as an NFL referee. He joined the league as an official in 2010 and worked his way up to the referee position.
His résumé also includes significant postseason experience. He worked his sixth playoff assignment during the 2025-26 postseason, serving as referee for the NFC Wild Card matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears.
Before that game, Football Zebras noted that he had worked five previous Wild Card games and one Divisional Round game. His experience extends beyond simply being the referee in charge.
He has previously worked at other positions during his NFL career, including field judge and line judge, before becoming a referee. An NFL gamebook from 2019, lists him as a line judge, while later gamebooks show him working as referee.
