Alex Kemp Will Referee Patriots Jaguars Week 3 Game
The NFL has assigned referee Alex Kemp and his crew to lead the upcoming New England Patriots versus Jacksonville Jaguars game.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Football
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The NFL has designated veteran official Alex Kemp to lead the officiating crew for the upcoming Week 3 matchup between the New England Patriots and the Jacksonville Jaguars. The game is scheduled to take place on September 27, 2026.
Why it matters
Referee assignments are critical for maintaining consistency in game management and penalty enforcement throughout the NFL season. Kemp brings extensive experience to the matchup as he begins his ninth season as a head referee.
Kemp's crew averaged 14.12 penalties per game last year, ranking them as the eighth fewest in the league. During their Week 1 assignment in Australia, they oversaw 8 flags and 6 accepted penalties.
The players
Alex Kemp
He is a veteran NFL official entering his 13th year overall and his ninth season serving as a head referee.
Jim Quirk
He is the newest member to join the officiating crew managed by Alex Kemp.
New England Patriots
The team enters the Week 3 matchup having recorded 13 penalties through the first two games of the season.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The team enters the contest against the Patriots with a record of 8 penalties through their first two weeks.
The details
Alex Kemp is currently in his 13th season as an NFL official and will lead a crew featuring a new addition, Jim Quirk. This assignment follows the crew's work during the Los Angeles Rams-San Francisco 49ers game held earlier this season in Australia.
Timeline
The crew worked the Rams-49ers game during Week 1 of 2026.
The Patriots and Jaguars game takes place during Week 3 on September 27, 2026.
Season Trajectory
This assignment highlights the league's reliance on experienced crews to maintain consistency following international travel for Week 1 games. It also sets the stage for how officiating crews manage discipline as teams like the Patriots and Jaguars attempt to clean up penalty counts early in the season.
The Patriots enter this game averaging 6.5 penalties per contest, while the Jaguars have averaged 4.0 through two weeks. Officials will be monitored for their enforcement of these trends, which directly affects the rhythm and scoring potential of the game.
The takeaway
Understanding officiating assignments provides insight into how games are managed in a high-stakes professional environment. Fans and analysts alike track these referee pairings to see if specific crews influence the flow of play for their favorite teams.
Further reading
For more information on league-wide trends, visit the Football section.
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Do you trust that NFL officiating crews maintain consistent standards throughout the regular season?
