Ed Hochuli

Ed Hochuli

Edward G. Hochuli (; born December 25, 1950) is an American attorney and retired American football official. He has served as an attorney at Jones, Skelton & Hochuli, P.L.C. since 1983, and was an official in the National Football League (NFL) from 1990 to 2017; his uniform number was 85. Prior to his officiating career, he played college football for four seasons at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). Hochuli worked numerous playoff games, including two Super Bowls. He is best known for his athletic/muscular physique (height: 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m); weight: 230 pounds (100 kg)), and for explaining on-field rulings in a manner that is comprehensive yet also clear and concise. In a poll conducted by ESPN in 2008, Hochuli tied fellow referee Mike Carey for "best referee" votes (eight each) among NFL head coaches. In his 28th season in the league and 26th as a referee (crew chief) with the 2017 NFL season, Hochuli's officiating crew consisted of umpire Shawn Smith, down judge Greg Bradley, line judge Rusty Baynes, field judge Dale Shaw, side judge Alex Kemp, and back judge Scott Helverson.After the retirements of Gerald Austin and Larry Nemmers following the 2007 season, Hochuli became the NFL's longest-tenured referee for the next decade. He announced his own retirement in March 2018. The following year, his son Shawn Hochuli — previously a referee in the Arena Football League and a back judge in the NFL — was promoted to referee.

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