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Ed Hochuli

December 15, 2023

Edward G. Hochuli[1] (/ˈhɒkjʊli/ HOCK-yuu-lee; born December 25, 1950)[2] is an American retired attorney and former American football official. He served as an attorney at Jones, Skelton & Hochuli, P.L.C. from 1983 to 2021, and was an official in the National Football League (NFL) from 1990 to 2017; his uniform number was 85. Before becoming a football official, he played college football for four seasons at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).

Ed Hochuli
Hochuli in 2017
Born (1950-12-25) December 25, 1950 (age 72)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Texas at El Paso
University of Arizona Law School
Occupation(s)NFL official (1990–2017)
Attorney (Jones, Skelton & Hochuli, P.L.C.) (1983–2021)
Children6 (including Shawn Hochuli)
Websitejshfirm.com/attorneys/ehochuli

Hochuli worked numerous playoff games including two Super Bowls. He is best known for his athletic/muscular physique[3] (height: 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m); weight: 230 pounds (100 kg)[4]), and for explaining on-field rulings in a manner that is comprehensive yet also clear and concise.[5] In a poll conducted by ESPN in 2008, Hochuli tied fellow referee Mike Carey for "best referee" votes (eight each) among NFL head coaches.[6] 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.[7]

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.[8] In 2019, his son Shawn Hochuli—previously a referee in the Arena Football League and a back judge in the NFL—was promoted to referee.

Personal life edit

Early life edit

Hochuli was born on December 25, 1950, in Milwaukee living there until age eight before his family moved to Tucson, Arizona.[9] He was the second child of six.[10] He went to Canyon del Oro High School in the Tucson suburb of Oro Valley, Arizona, graduating in 1969.[11][12] During his high school years, he participated in football (earning all-state honors twice), basketball, wrestling, and track.[11] He attributes his competitive nature to having an older brother, Chip Hochuli.[10] Ed Hochuli told Referee in a 2004 interview, "I was somebody who wanted to be good and I wanted my brother to be proud of me, and I wanted my parents to be proud of me."[10] He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from the University of Texas at El Paso in 1972.[1] While studying at UTEP, Hochuli played linebacker on the school's football team from 1969 to 1972.[3] As a football player he earned All-Western Athletic Conference academic honors in 1972.[11] His father, Walter Hochuli, was involved with law as a wills and estate planner, which influenced Ed Hochuli to pursue a career in law.[9] He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Arizona Law School in 1976.[1] While in law school, Hochuli served as a law clerk for two years under United States District Judge Carl Muecke.[9] After completing his education Hochuli was admitted to the State Bar of Arizona.[1]

Family edit

Hochuli resides in the Phoenix metropolitan area with his wife Cathie.[11] They have six children and 10 grandchildren.[2] Shawn Hochuli is one of his sons and played college football at Pitzer College.[13] Shawn joined his father's profession as an official, working as a side judge in his first NFL season in 2014.[14] Shawn Hochuli also worked in Arena Football League[15] and arenafootball2 games.[16] On August 13, 2011, a day after his father refereed a preseason game between the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars, Shawn was the head referee for ArenaBowl XXIV between the Jacksonville Sharks and Arizona Rattlers. Scott Hochuli, another of Ed Hochuli's sons, owns Hochuli Design & Remodeling Team which is a company in the Phoenix area that specializes in residential design and construction.[17] He is married to Lorrie Hochuli and they have two daughters: Devan and Ryann. Scott Hochuli's brother, Daniel Hochuli, is the town attorney for Sahuarita, Arizona, and his brother Peter is a judge at the Pima County Juvenile Court in Tucson.[18]

Attorney edit

Hochuli was a trial lawyer[19] and a partner in the Arizona law firm of Jones, Skelton and Hochuli, P.L.C., having been a part of the firm since it was founded in 1983 to his retirement.[1] The firm began with five partners and seven associates and has expanded to over 80 attorneys.[9] He specializes in civil litigation in the areas of bad faith and extra-contractual liability, complex litigation, insurance coverage and fraud, legal malpractice and professional liability, product liability defense, trucking and transportation industry defense, and wrongful death and personal injury defense.[1] He claims to be involved in 200 cases at any time.[9] Hochuli finds interest in trying cases, calling it an "adrenaline rush" adding, "You love that challenge–the competition, if you will–of it. It's a game. It's obviously a very important game to people, and I don't mean to diminish the importance of it... You have to follow these rules, and there's a win-or-lose outcome. You're on a stage."[20]

He is admitted to practice in Arizona state and federal courts and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.[1] His recognition as an attorney includes being named Best Lawyers in America since 2003 and Southwest Super Lawyers in 2007.[1] Super Lawyers includes only the top five percent of lawyers in a state based on point totals, as chosen by peers and through independent research by Law & Politics.[21]

Comparing his law and officiating professions, he says "A trial is nothing, pressure-wise, compared to the NFL… I have that long [snaps his fingers] to make a decision with a million people watching and second-guessing (by video) in slow-motion. You've got to be right or wrong. I love the satisfaction when you are right — and the agony when you are wrong."[22] He finds similarities between the football field and courtroom saying, "On the football field, people like that I'm in charge and know what I'm doing, but a lot of the time, it's just appearance. I'm going to sell you on my decision. It's the same in the courtroom. You don't stand in front of a jury and say, 'I think my client is innocent.' You say, 'We're right!'"[9]

Officiating career edit

Early years edit

Hochuli began officiating Pop Warner football games as a law student to earn additional income,[12] which was suggested by one of his former high school coaches[10] as "a way to stay in touch with the game".[9] His interest in officiating carried over into baseball where he was a Little League Baseball umpire from 1970 to 1973.[11] Progressing to the high school level in 1973, he focused on football, and officiated games in the Tucson area until 1985.[11] In addition to high school officiating, he worked college football games for the Big Sky Conference and Pacific-10 Conference as a line judge during the 1980s.[11]

NFL career edit

Hochuli was hired by the NFL in 1990 as a back judge[12] after applying to the league before the 1989 NFL season.[10] His first game in the league was on August 11, 1990, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.[2] During his first two years in the league, he was assigned to the officiating crew headed by referee Howard Roe.[23] To gain additional experience as a back judge and eventually a referee, Hochuli participated in the NFL's partnership with the World League of American Football (WLAF), a spring developmental league, in 1991 and 1992.[11] Using his experience in the WLAF, as well as the organization, precision, and analytical skills he learned while working under Roe's guidance, Hochuli desired to become a crew chief in the NFL.[10] He was promoted to referee in 1992[12] when longtime referee Stan Kemp was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease and forced to retire.[10] Hochuli had worked a pre-season game that year in Tokyo, Japan, as a back judge when he received a telephone call following the game from then-Senior Director of Officiating, Jerry Seeman.[10] Seeman asked Hochuli to work as referee for the first time when the Denver Broncos hosted the Cincinnati Bengals in a pre-season game.[2][10]

Since becoming a referee, Hochuli headed the officiating crews for Super Bowl XXXII[24] and Super Bowl XXXVIII,[25] and he was selected as an alternate for Super Bowl XXXI,[26] Super Bowl XXXVII,[24] and Super Bowl XXXIX.[27] In addition to working two Super Bowls, he has officiated five conference championship games as of the start of the 2007 NFL season.[28] Every officiating game performance is graded by the league each week.[29] These grades determine which officials are assigned playoff games, as well as the Super Bowl.[29] Hochuli credits his mentor, Jerry Markbreit, a four-time Super Bowl referee, as the greatest influence on his career.[30]

In his second year as referee, he worked the 1993 Thanksgiving Day game between the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins in Irving, Texas.[10] During the final moments of the game, Miami placekicker Pete Stoyanovich had a field goal attempt blocked.[10] The Cowboys' Leon Lett inadvertently touched the loose ball before the Dolphins' Jeff Dellenbach pounced on it.[10] At the time, Hochuli had "no idea" what happened during the play and had to confer with three other officials to piece together the sequence of events.[2] With the information gathered from the officials, he ruled that Miami retained possession of the football.[2] Stoyanovich booted the ensuing winning field goal for the Miami win.

Hochuli was a referee for the 1999 AFC Divisional Playoff game between the Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars; it was the final game for quarterback Dan Marino and coach Jimmy Johnson as the Jaguars won 62–7.

Hochuli was a referee in the 2003 Divisional Playoff game between the Packers and the Eagles.

On October 2, 2005, he officiated the first regular-season NFL game played outside the United States when the Arizona Cardinals played the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City, Mexico[31] as part of the league's "Fútbol Americano" marketing campaign. On the first penalty announcement of the game, Hochuli gave the explanation in Spanish to pay respect to the host city and country.[31]

Jeff Bergman joined Hochuli for the wild card bout between the San Diego Chargers and New York Jets on January 8, 2005.[32]

Hochuli officiated the first regular season game at University of Phoenix Stadium on September 10, 2006, when the Cardinals hosted the 49ers.

He was the referee for the game between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, played December 17, 2006, that included Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre becoming the all-time leader for pass completions among quarterbacks in the NFL.[33] Favre was unaware that his 4,968 pass completions were a record until he was informed during the game by Hochuli.[33] Hochuli was the referee again for another Favre record-breaking moment when Favre threw his 421st touchdown pass of his career on September 30, 2007, at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota to break the record previously held by Dan Marino. He also reffed the Week 17 game in 2008 in which the Lions became the first of two NFL teams so far to go 0–16 in a season, with the other being the 2017 Browns.[34][35]

One of Hochuli's notable explanations came during a 2007 regular season game between the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots. While nullifying a holding infraction, he announced through his microphone, "There was no foul on the play. It was not a hold. The defender was just overpowered."[22]

On September 14, 2008, Hochuli officiated a game between the San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos.[36] He made an incorrect call with 1:17 left in the game, while Denver was in possession of the ball at the San Diego one-yard line and they were trailing the Chargers by seven points. On a second-down play, Denver quarterback Jay Cutler fumbled the ball, and it was recovered by San Diego linebacker Tim Dobbins. Ed Hochuli blew his whistle during the play, signaling that the play was dead and ruling an incomplete pass. Hochuli later wrote, "Affecting the outcome of a game is a devastating feeling. Officials strive for perfection – I failed miserably."[37] The NFL passed a rule the following offseason allowing such plays to be reviewable under the instant replay rule for the 2009 NFL season.[38] Speaking to Referee in November 2009, Hochuli told the magazine, "It was really an easy play. I’ve thought many times why I did what I did. The best explanation is it was almost like dyslexia. I realized it was a fumble and did the wrong thing. I realized I was wrong but there was nothing I could do about it."[39]

2001 officials' strike edit

Hochuli has served as the head of the NFL Referees Association, the union which represents NFL game officials.[40] The union was responsible for negotiating a new contract for the officials prior to the 2001 NFL season.[41] At the time, salaries ranged from a first-year official earning US$1,431 a game to a veteran official with twenty years of experience making $4,330 a game.[42] Officials were looking for a 400 percent increase in salary while the league was offering just 40 percent.[43] During the negotiations Hochuli believed the issue in finding a resolution was to convince the league that officials are full-time employees.[41]

At the start of the season, officials had rejected a league offer of a 60 percent immediate increase in salary, followed by an 85 percent salary increase in 2002, and a 100 percent increase in 2003.[44] For the first time in league history, replacement officials were used during the regular season.[44] Hochuli had distributed an e-mail to 1,200 potential replacement officials warning them that "Working as a scab will actually hurt and likely kill any chances you would have of ever getting into the NFL."[45] He later regretted sending the letter to college football officials across the United States.[10] The stalemate between the union and the league ended on September 19, 2001, when officials agreed to a six-year deal from the league with an immediate increase in salary of 50 percent with a raise each year.[46] Officials had been locked out since the final week of pre-season games that year and returned to work on September 23, 2001, when the league resumed games following the September 11, 2001 attacks.[46]

Celebrity edit

Hochuli's presence on the football field created a cult following.[22] His rise in popularity is believed to have been started by Phil Simms, a former NFL quarterback and then color commentator for the NFL on CBS, who made reference to the size of Hochuli's arms during a telecast.[47] There are internet websites that sell Hochuli merchandise as well as blogs with his namesake.[22] He is often affectionately referred to as "Hochules", a portmanteau of his last name and "Hercules", in homage to his large biceps. While he is aware of his celebrity status, Hochuli does not understand it. He said in a USA Today interview, "I get a kick out of the notoriety, because I'm just a referee. I'm not the players. The players are the game. They're what this is all about. I get notoriety because I explain things, and I get notoriety because I have a decent physique, which is funny because I'm a shrimp, a peewee compared to those players. Neither one of those things has anything to do with whether I'm a good referee."[22]

His recognition extends to the streets, in airports, and in the courtroom.[12] He has been approached by notable athletes such as former National Basketball Association (NBA) player Charles Barkley at the airport.[48] "It never ceases to amaze me," Hochuli told the Arizona Daily Star. "The number of people that will just come up to me and recognize me."[12] He appreciates the attention, saying, "I enjoy the fact that there are people who like me as a referee. I hear from a lot of people and I enjoy that. Like anybody, I like praise. Probably because of my personality, I thrive on that more than other people."[10]

Hochuli's career as an NFL official has been chronicled on the NFL Network's Six Days to Sunday in 2005.[49] The half-hour television program detailed the game preparations that Hochuli went through from Monday to Saturday during the season. The preparation work includes fifteen hours of video tape game review, a "couple hours" completing administrative tasks for the NFL, reading the rulebook, taking a weekly written exam on rules, and communicating with league supervisors.[40]

Hochuli's celebrity status off the field includes being mentioned on the "Top Ten List" during the edition of January 29, 2002 of the Late Show with David Letterman.[50] His likeness appears in the Madden NFL video game franchise[51] beginning with Madden NFL 06.[52] He appeared on the cover of the October 8, 2012 issue of Sports Illustrated. In 2015, he became the subject of "Fallacy Ref", a series of Internet memes about logical fallacies.[53]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h . Jones, Skelton & Hochuli, P.L.C. Archived from the original on September 29, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "NFL Official Ed Hochuli — Part I". Officiating.com. July 2, 2001. Retrieved September 10, 2007.
  3. ^ a b Cherrin, Amanda (January 10, 2006). . CNN Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on September 15, 2008. Retrieved August 28, 2006.
  4. ^ "Rugged Males Over 60 Who Can Still Whoop Your Ass". The Rugged Male. May 7, 2014. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  5. ^ Schmidt, Michael S. (April 22, 2007). "30 Seconds with Ed Hochuli". The New York Times. Retrieved April 21, 2007.
  6. ^ Sando, Mike (July 11, 2008). "Rating refs touchy subject for NFL coaches". ESPN. Retrieved July 12, 2008.
  7. ^ "Officiating crews for the 2017 season". footballzebras.com. June 13, 2017.
  8. ^ "NFL referees Ed Hochuli, Jeff Triplette retiring". NFL.com. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Bommersbach, Jana (June 2007). "Zebra Lawyer". Southwest Super Lawyers 2007. pp. 10–13.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Jackel, Peter (September 2004). "Ed hochuli: on balance". Referee. No. 335.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h . Arizona Football Officials Association. Archived from the original on August 27, 2008. Retrieved October 13, 2007.
  12. ^ a b c d e f Pascoe, Bruce (August 14, 2006). . Arizona Daily Star. Archived from the original on January 8, 2007. Retrieved August 24, 2006.
  13. ^ . Pomona College Magazine (Pitzer College). 1999. Archived from the original on June 24, 2002. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  14. ^ Hansen, Greg (September 6, 2005). "Football for Aztecs has fallen into ruins". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved October 16, 2007.
  15. ^ . Arena Football League. March 1, 2008. Archived from the original on September 6, 2009. Retrieved May 19, 2008.
  16. ^ "Arena2 Football League". Referee. June 2007.
  17. ^ . Hochuli Design & Remodeling Team. Archived from the original on October 17, 2007. Retrieved October 18, 2007.
  18. ^ "Prosecutor Hochuli named to Juvenile Court bench". Tucson Citizen. March 20, 2008. Archived from the original on December 22, 2013. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
  19. ^ (Press release). USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70). January 28, 2005. Archived from the original on November 16, 2007.
  20. ^ "Lock and Load". ESPN Outside the Lines. May 7, 2009. Retrieved January 10, 2010.
  21. ^ "Super Lawyers Selection Process". Super Lawyers. Retrieved September 6, 2008.
  22. ^ a b c d e Zillgitt, Jeff (October 10, 2007). "For NFL officials, scrutiny begins long before kickoff". USA Today. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  23. ^ . NASO LockerRoom. 3 (4). April 15, 2002. Archived from the original on November 16, 2007.
  24. ^ a b "Hochuli's top-rated crew gets nod". Associated Press. January 29, 2004. Retrieved September 10, 2007.
  25. ^ Bell, Jarrett (January 29, 2004). "Hochuli to head Super Bowl officiating team". USA Today. Retrieved September 10, 2007.
  26. ^ Manoyan, Dan (January 23, 1997). . Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on November 16, 2004. Retrieved October 17, 2007.
  27. ^ Maske, Mark (February 2, 2005). "E. Smith Retirement May Come as Cowboy". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 23, 2007.
  28. ^ (Press release). National Association of Sports Officials. July 27, 2007. Archived from the original on November 16, 2007. Retrieved September 10, 2007.
  29. ^ a b Hait, Pam. . Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. Archived from the original on January 12, 2009. Retrieved November 22, 2007.
  30. ^ "Gold Whistle Award 2007 Jerry Markbreit". Referee. August 2007.
  31. ^ a b "Señor Hochuli Habla Español". Referee. December 2005.
  32. ^ "Wild Card – New York Jets at San Diego Chargers – January 8th, 2005 | Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  33. ^ a b "Favre sets completions record in victory over Lions". Associated Press. December 17, 2006. Retrieved October 16, 2007.
  34. ^ (Press release). Green Bay Packers. September 30, 2007. Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. Retrieved October 17, 2007.
  35. ^ "Favre sets record, leads Packers past Vikings". Associated Press. October 2, 2007. Retrieved October 17, 2007.
  36. ^ "NFL will lower Ed Hochuli's grade after blown call". Associated Press. September 16, 2008. Retrieved December 13, 2008.
  37. ^ Sullivan, Tim (September 17, 2008). . The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on September 20, 2008. Retrieved September 17, 2008.
  38. ^ "Replay review, draft order among changes made by owners". March 25, 2009. Retrieved March 26, 2009.
  39. ^ Stern, Jeffrey (November 2009). . Referee. Archived from the original on August 7, 2011.
  40. ^ a b Clayton, John (September 5, 2001). "Refereeing can often be full-time job". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  41. ^ a b "No news good news for NFL". Associated Press. August 31, 2001. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  42. ^ Freeman, Mike (August 9, 2001). "N.F.L. May Lock Out Referees Unless Talks Progress". The New York Times. Retrieved October 21, 2007.
  43. ^ Clayton, John (August 24, 2001). "Clayton Q&A: The NFL vs. the refs". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  44. ^ a b Freeman, Steve (September 7, 2001). "N.F.L. Referees Reject Offer; Replacements to Take the Field". The New York Times. Retrieved October 21, 2007.
  45. ^ . Associated Press. August 22, 2001. Archived from the original on September 18, 2008. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  46. ^ a b Miller, Ira (September 20, 2001). "NFL officials accept league's 'final' offer". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  47. ^ Mayer, Larry (July 31, 2008). "Hochuli discusses rule changes, cult-like popularity". Chicago Bears. Retrieved August 2, 2008.
  48. ^ "The Double Life of Ed Hochuli". National Public Radio. January 7, 2004.
  49. ^ "Six Days to Sunday with Ed Hochuli" (RealPlayer). NFL Network. 2005. Retrieved October 18, 2007.
  50. ^ . CBS Broadcasting, Inc. January 29, 2002. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved September 10, 2007.
  51. ^ Miller, Jonathan (July 14, 2006). . IGN. Archived from the original on July 17, 2006. Retrieved September 10, 2007.
  52. ^ Robinson, Jon (October 26, 2005). "Madden 360: A Closer Look". IGN. Retrieved September 10, 2007.
  53. ^ Carpenter, John (July 29, 2015). . Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on November 2, 2016.

Further reading edit

  • Bedard, Greg A. (October 9, 2005). "Celebrity status puzzles muscular referee Hochuli". The Palm Beach Post. pp. 7B.
  •   Media related to Ed Hochuli at Wikimedia Commons

December 15, 2023
hochuli, edward, hochuli, hock, born, december, 1950, american, retired, attorney, former, american, football, official, served, attorney, jones, skelton, hochuli, from, 1983, 2021, official, national, football, league, from, 1990, 2017, uniform, number, befor. Edward G Hochuli 1 ˈ h ɒ k j ʊ l i HOCK yuu lee born December 25 1950 2 is an American retired attorney and former American football official He served as an attorney at Jones Skelton amp Hochuli P L C from 1983 to 2021 and was an official in the National Football League NFL from 1990 to 2017 his uniform number was 85 Before becoming a football official he played college football for four seasons at the University of Texas at El Paso UTEP Ed HochuliHochuli in 2017Born 1950 12 25 December 25 1950 age 72 Milwaukee Wisconsin U S Alma materUniversity of Texas at El PasoUniversity of Arizona Law SchoolOccupation s NFL official 1990 2017 Attorney Jones Skelton amp Hochuli P L C 1983 2021 Children6 including Shawn Hochuli Websitejshfirm wbr com wbr attorneys wbr ehochuliHochuli worked numerous playoff games including two Super Bowls He is best known for his athletic muscular physique 3 height 6 feet 2 inches 1 88 m weight 230 pounds 100 kg 4 and for explaining on field rulings in a manner that is comprehensive yet also clear and concise 5 In a poll conducted by ESPN in 2008 Hochuli tied fellow referee Mike Carey for best referee votes eight each among NFL head coaches 6 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 7 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 8 In 2019 his son Shawn Hochuli previously a referee in the Arena Football League and a back judge in the NFL was promoted to referee Contents 1 Personal life 1 1 Early life 1 2 Family 1 3 Attorney 2 Officiating career 2 1 Early years 2 2 NFL career 2 2 1 2001 officials strike 3 Celebrity 4 References 5 Further readingPersonal life editEarly life edit Hochuli was born on December 25 1950 in Milwaukee living there until age eight before his family moved to Tucson Arizona 9 He was the second child of six 10 He went to Canyon del Oro High School in the Tucson suburb of Oro Valley Arizona graduating in 1969 11 12 During his high school years he participated in football earning all state honors twice basketball wrestling and track 11 He attributes his competitive nature to having an older brother Chip Hochuli 10 Ed Hochuli told Referee in a 2004 interview I was somebody who wanted to be good and I wanted my brother to be proud of me and I wanted my parents to be proud of me 10 He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from the University of Texas at El Paso in 1972 1 While studying at UTEP Hochuli played linebacker on the school s football team from 1969 to 1972 3 As a football player he earned All Western Athletic Conference academic honors in 1972 11 His father Walter Hochuli was involved with law as a wills and estate planner which influenced Ed Hochuli to pursue a career in law 9 He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Arizona Law School in 1976 1 While in law school Hochuli served as a law clerk for two years under United States District Judge Carl Muecke 9 After completing his education Hochuli was admitted to the State Bar of Arizona 1 Family edit Hochuli resides in the Phoenix metropolitan area with his wife Cathie 11 They have six children and 10 grandchildren 2 Shawn Hochuli is one of his sons and played college football at Pitzer College 13 Shawn joined his father s profession as an official working as a side judge in his first NFL season in 2014 14 Shawn Hochuli also worked in Arena Football League 15 and arenafootball2 games 16 On August 13 2011 a day after his father refereed a preseason game between the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars Shawn was the head referee for ArenaBowl XXIV between the Jacksonville Sharks and Arizona Rattlers Scott Hochuli another of Ed Hochuli s sons owns Hochuli Design amp Remodeling Team which is a company in the Phoenix area that specializes in residential design and construction 17 He is married to Lorrie Hochuli and they have two daughters Devan and Ryann Scott Hochuli s brother Daniel Hochuli is the town attorney for Sahuarita Arizona and his brother Peter is a judge at the Pima County Juvenile Court in Tucson 18 Attorney edit Hochuli was a trial lawyer 19 and a partner in the Arizona law firm of Jones Skelton and Hochuli P L C having been a part of the firm since it was founded in 1983 to his retirement 1 The firm began with five partners and seven associates and has expanded to over 80 attorneys 9 He specializes in civil litigation in the areas of bad faith and extra contractual liability complex litigation insurance coverage and fraud legal malpractice and professional liability product liability defense trucking and transportation industry defense and wrongful death and personal injury defense 1 He claims to be involved in 200 cases at any time 9 Hochuli finds interest in trying cases calling it an adrenaline rush adding You love that challenge the competition if you will of it It s a game It s obviously a very important game to people and I don t mean to diminish the importance of it You have to follow these rules and there s a win or lose outcome You re on a stage 20 He is admitted to practice in Arizona state and federal courts and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 1 His recognition as an attorney includes being named Best Lawyers in America since 2003 and Southwest Super Lawyers in 2007 1 Super Lawyers includes only the top five percent of lawyers in a state based on point totals as chosen by peers and through independent research by Law amp Politics 21 Comparing his law and officiating professions he says A trial is nothing pressure wise compared to the NFL I have that long snaps his fingers to make a decision with a million people watching and second guessing by video in slow motion You ve got to be right or wrong I love the satisfaction when you are right and the agony when you are wrong 22 He finds similarities between the football field and courtroom saying On the football field people like that I m in charge and know what I m doing but a lot of the time it s just appearance I m going to sell you on my decision It s the same in the courtroom You don t stand in front of a jury and say I think my client is innocent You say We re right 9 Officiating career editEarly years edit Hochuli began officiating Pop Warner football games as a law student to earn additional income 12 which was suggested by one of his former high school coaches 10 as a way to stay in touch with the game 9 His interest in officiating carried over into baseball where he was a Little League Baseball umpire from 1970 to 1973 11 Progressing to the high school level in 1973 he focused on football and officiated games in the Tucson area until 1985 11 In addition to high school officiating he worked college football games for the Big Sky Conference and Pacific 10 Conference as a line judge during the 1980s 11 NFL career edit Hochuli was hired by the NFL in 1990 as a back judge 12 after applying to the league before the 1989 NFL season 10 His first game in the league was on August 11 1990 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay Wisconsin 2 During his first two years in the league he was assigned to the officiating crew headed by referee Howard Roe 23 To gain additional experience as a back judge and eventually a referee Hochuli participated in the NFL s partnership with the World League of American Football WLAF a spring developmental league in 1991 and 1992 11 Using his experience in the WLAF as well as the organization precision and analytical skills he learned while working under Roe s guidance Hochuli desired to become a crew chief in the NFL 10 He was promoted to referee in 1992 12 when longtime referee Stan Kemp was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig s disease and forced to retire 10 Hochuli had worked a pre season game that year in Tokyo Japan as a back judge when he received a telephone call following the game from then Senior Director of Officiating Jerry Seeman 10 Seeman asked Hochuli to work as referee for the first time when the Denver Broncos hosted the Cincinnati Bengals in a pre season game 2 10 Since becoming a referee Hochuli headed the officiating crews for Super Bowl XXXII 24 and Super Bowl XXXVIII 25 and he was selected as an alternate for Super Bowl XXXI 26 Super Bowl XXXVII 24 and Super Bowl XXXIX 27 In addition to working two Super Bowls he has officiated five conference championship games as of the start of the 2007 NFL season 28 Every officiating game performance is graded by the league each week 29 These grades determine which officials are assigned playoff games as well as the Super Bowl 29 Hochuli credits his mentor Jerry Markbreit a four time Super Bowl referee as the greatest influence on his career 30 In his second year as referee he worked the 1993 Thanksgiving Day game between the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins in Irving Texas 10 During the final moments of the game Miami placekicker Pete Stoyanovich had a field goal attempt blocked 10 The Cowboys Leon Lett inadvertently touched the loose ball before the Dolphins Jeff Dellenbach pounced on it 10 At the time Hochuli had no idea what happened during the play and had to confer with three other officials to piece together the sequence of events 2 With the information gathered from the officials he ruled that Miami retained possession of the football 2 Stoyanovich booted the ensuing winning field goal for the Miami win Hochuli was a referee for the 1999 AFC Divisional Playoff game between the Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars it was the final game for quarterback Dan Marino and coach Jimmy Johnson as the Jaguars won 62 7 Hochuli was a referee in the 2003 Divisional Playoff game between the Packers and the Eagles On October 2 2005 he officiated the first regular season NFL game played outside the United States when the Arizona Cardinals played the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City Mexico 31 as part of the league s Futbol Americano marketing campaign On the first penalty announcement of the game Hochuli gave the explanation in Spanish to pay respect to the host city and country 31 Jeff Bergman joined Hochuli for the wild card bout between the San Diego Chargers and New York Jets on January 8 2005 32 Hochuli officiated the first regular season game at University of Phoenix Stadium on September 10 2006 when the Cardinals hosted the 49ers He was the referee for the game between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers played December 17 2006 that included Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre becoming the all time leader for pass completions among quarterbacks in the NFL 33 Favre was unaware that his 4 968 pass completions were a record until he was informed during the game by Hochuli 33 Hochuli was the referee again for another Favre record breaking moment when Favre threw his 421st touchdown pass of his career on September 30 2007 at the Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis Minnesota to break the record previously held by Dan Marino He also reffed the Week 17 game in 2008 in which the Lions became the first of two NFL teams so far to go 0 16 in a season with the other being the 2017 Browns 34 35 One of Hochuli s notable explanations came during a 2007 regular season game between the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots While nullifying a holding infraction he announced through his microphone There was no foul on the play It was not a hold The defender was just overpowered 22 On September 14 2008 Hochuli officiated a game between the San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos 36 He made an incorrect call with 1 17 left in the game while Denver was in possession of the ball at the San Diego one yard line and they were trailing the Chargers by seven points On a second down play Denver quarterback Jay Cutler fumbled the ball and it was recovered by San Diego linebacker Tim Dobbins Ed Hochuli blew his whistle during the play signaling that the play was dead and ruling an incomplete pass Hochuli later wrote Affecting the outcome of a game is a devastating feeling Officials strive for perfection I failed miserably 37 The NFL passed a rule the following offseason allowing such plays to be reviewable under the instant replay rule for the 2009 NFL season 38 Speaking to Referee in November 2009 Hochuli told the magazine It was really an easy play I ve thought many times why I did what I did The best explanation is it was almost like dyslexia I realized it was a fumble and did the wrong thing I realized I was wrong but there was nothing I could do about it 39 2001 officials strike edit Hochuli has served as the head of the NFL Referees Association the union which represents NFL game officials 40 The union was responsible for negotiating a new contract for the officials prior to the 2001 NFL season 41 At the time salaries ranged from a first year official earning US 1 431 a game to a veteran official with twenty years of experience making 4 330 a game 42 Officials were looking for a 400 percent increase in salary while the league was offering just 40 percent 43 During the negotiations Hochuli believed the issue in finding a resolution was to convince the league that officials are full time employees 41 At the start of the season officials had rejected a league offer of a 60 percent immediate increase in salary followed by an 85 percent salary increase in 2002 and a 100 percent increase in 2003 44 For the first time in league history replacement officials were used during the regular season 44 Hochuli had distributed an e mail to 1 200 potential replacement officials warning them that Working as a scab will actually hurt and likely kill any chances you would have of ever getting into the NFL 45 He later regretted sending the letter to college football officials across the United States 10 The stalemate between the union and the league ended on September 19 2001 when officials agreed to a six year deal from the league with an immediate increase in salary of 50 percent with a raise each year 46 Officials had been locked out since the final week of pre season games that year and returned to work on September 23 2001 when the league resumed games following the September 11 2001 attacks 46 Celebrity editHochuli s presence on the football field created a cult following 22 His rise in popularity is believed to have been started by Phil Simms a former NFL quarterback and then color commentator for the NFL on CBS who made reference to the size of Hochuli s arms during a telecast 47 There are internet websites that sell Hochuli merchandise as well as blogs with his namesake 22 He is often affectionately referred to as Hochules a portmanteau of his last name and Hercules in homage to his large biceps While he is aware of his celebrity status Hochuli does not understand it He said in a USA Today interview I get a kick out of the notoriety because I m just a referee I m not the players The players are the game They re what this is all about I get notoriety because I explain things and I get notoriety because I have a decent physique which is funny because I m a shrimp a peewee compared to those players Neither one of those things has anything to do with whether I m a good referee 22 His recognition extends to the streets in airports and in the courtroom 12 He has been approached by notable athletes such as former National Basketball Association NBA player Charles Barkley at the airport 48 It never ceases to amaze me Hochuli told the Arizona Daily Star The number of people that will just come up to me and recognize me 12 He appreciates the attention saying I enjoy the fact that there are people who like me as a referee I hear from a lot of people and I enjoy that Like anybody I like praise Probably because of my personality I thrive on that more than other people 10 Hochuli s career as an NFL official has been chronicled on the NFL Network s Six Days to Sunday in 2005 49 The half hour television program detailed the game preparations that Hochuli went through from Monday to Saturday during the season The preparation work includes fifteen hours of video tape game review a couple hours completing administrative tasks for the NFL reading the rulebook taking a weekly written exam on rules and communicating with league supervisors 40 Hochuli s celebrity status off the field includes being mentioned on the Top Ten List during the edition of January 29 2002 of the Late Show with David Letterman 50 His likeness appears in the Madden NFL video game franchise 51 beginning with Madden NFL 06 52 He appeared on the cover of the October 8 2012 issue of Sports Illustrated In 2015 he became the subject of Fallacy Ref a series of Internet memes about logical fallacies 53 References edit a b c d e f g h Attorney Profile Edward G Hochuli Jones Skelton amp Hochuli P L C Archived from the original on September 29 2012 Retrieved September 26 2012 a b c d e f NFL Official Ed Hochuli Part I Officiating com July 2 2001 Retrieved September 10 2007 a b Cherrin Amanda January 10 2006 NFL Referee Workout Never Flagging CNN Sports Illustrated Archived from the original on September 15 2008 Retrieved August 28 2006 Rugged Males Over 60 Who Can Still Whoop Your Ass The Rugged Male May 7 2014 Retrieved April 30 2020 Schmidt Michael S April 22 2007 30 Seconds with Ed Hochuli The New York Times Retrieved April 21 2007 Sando Mike July 11 2008 Rating refs touchy subject for NFL coaches ESPN Retrieved July 12 2008 Officiating crews for the 2017 season footballzebras com June 13 2017 NFL referees Ed Hochuli Jeff Triplette retiring NFL com Retrieved March 6 2018 a b c d e f g Bommersbach Jana June 2007 Zebra Lawyer Southwest Super Lawyers 2007 pp 10 13 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Jackel Peter September 2004 Ed hochuli on balance Referee No 335 a b c d e f g h 2007 AzFOA Hall of Fame Inductees Arizona Football Officials Association Archived from the original on August 27 2008 Retrieved October 13 2007 a b c d e f Pascoe Bruce August 14 2006 Grad of CDO finds fame as NFL referee Arizona Daily Star Archived from the original on January 8 2007 Retrieved August 24 2006 Beating Their Own Drum Pomona College Magazine Pitzer College 1999 Archived from the original on June 24 2002 Retrieved November 3 2012 Hansen Greg September 6 2005 Football for Aztecs has fallen into ruins Arizona Daily Star Retrieved October 16 2007 Orlando Predators vs PHILADELPHIA SOUL Mar 01 2008 Arena Football League March 1 2008 Archived from the original on September 6 2009 Retrieved May 19 2008 Arena2 Football League Referee June 2007 About Us Hochuli Design amp Remodeling Team Archived from the original on October 17 2007 Retrieved October 18 2007 Prosecutor Hochuli named to Juvenile Court bench Tucson Citizen March 20 2008 Archived from the original on December 22 2013 Retrieved December 22 2013 One of NFL top zebras visits Gold Eagle Press release USS Carl Vinson CVN 70 January 28 2005 Archived from the original on November 16 2007 Lock and Load ESPN Outside the Lines May 7 2009 Retrieved January 10 2010 Super Lawyers Selection Process Super Lawyers Retrieved September 6 2008 a b c d e Zillgitt Jeff October 10 2007 For NFL officials scrutiny begins long before kickoff USA Today Retrieved October 14 2007 Practice Practice Practice NASO LockerRoom 3 4 April 15 2002 Archived from the original on November 16 2007 a b Hochuli s top rated crew gets nod Associated Press January 29 2004 Retrieved September 10 2007 Bell Jarrett January 29 2004 Hochuli to head Super Bowl officiating team USA Today Retrieved September 10 2007 Manoyan Dan January 23 1997 Tough test Belichick calls Favre Elwayesque Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Archived from the original on November 16 2004 Retrieved October 17 2007 Maske Mark February 2 2005 E Smith Retirement May Come as Cowboy The Washington Post Retrieved September 23 2007 NASO and NFHS Host the Power of Persuasive Officiating Summit Press release National Association of Sports Officials July 27 2007 Archived from the original on November 16 2007 Retrieved September 10 2007 a b Hait Pam Meet Ed Hochuli NFL referee Scottsdale Convention amp Visitors Bureau Archived from the original on January 12 2009 Retrieved November 22 2007 Gold Whistle Award 2007 Jerry Markbreit Referee August 2007 a b Senor Hochuli Habla Espanol Referee December 2005 Wild Card New York Jets at San Diego Chargers January 8th 2005 Pro Football Reference com Pro Football Reference com Retrieved February 7 2018 a b Favre sets completions record in victory over Lions Associated Press December 17 2006 Retrieved October 16 2007 Packers Vikings Press Box Notes Press release Green Bay Packers September 30 2007 Archived from the original on May 16 2008 Retrieved October 17 2007 Favre sets record leads Packers past Vikings Associated Press October 2 2007 Retrieved October 17 2007 NFL will lower Ed Hochuli s grade after blown call Associated Press September 16 2008 Retrieved December 13 2008 Sullivan Tim September 17 2008 Rules leave Hochuli helpless to fix mistake The San Diego Union Tribune Archived from the original on September 20 2008 Retrieved September 17 2008 Replay review draft order among changes made by owners March 25 2009 Retrieved March 26 2009 Stern Jeffrey November 2009 We Don t Talk About Judgment Calls Referee Archived from the original on August 7 2011 a b Clayton John September 5 2001 Refereeing can often be full time job ESPN com Retrieved October 14 2007 a b No news good news for NFL Associated Press August 31 2001 Retrieved October 14 2007 Freeman Mike August 9 2001 N F L May Lock Out Referees Unless Talks Progress The New York Times Retrieved October 21 2007 Clayton John August 24 2001 Clayton Q amp A The NFL vs the refs ESPN com Retrieved October 14 2007 a b Freeman Steve September 7 2001 N F L Referees Reject Offer Replacements to Take the Field The New York Times Retrieved October 21 2007 NFL hiring replacements as talks with refs stall Associated Press August 22 2001 Archived from the original on September 18 2008 Retrieved October 14 2007 a b Miller Ira September 20 2001 NFL officials accept league s final offer San Francisco Chronicle Retrieved October 14 2007 Mayer Larry July 31 2008 Hochuli discusses rule changes cult like popularity Chicago Bears Retrieved August 2 2008 The Double Life of Ed Hochuli National Public Radio January 7 2004 Six Days to Sunday with Ed Hochuli RealPlayer NFL Network 2005 Retrieved October 18 2007 Top Ten Signs You ve Been Watching Too Much Football CBS Broadcasting Inc January 29 2002 Archived from the original on September 30 2007 Retrieved September 10 2007 Miller Jonathan July 14 2006 The State of NFL Videogames IGN Archived from the original on July 17 2006 Retrieved September 10 2007 Robinson Jon October 26 2005 Madden 360 A Closer Look IGN Retrieved September 10 2007 Carpenter John July 29 2015 Fallacy Ref nears goal line An app to rule on debates Chicago Tribune Archived from the original on November 2 2016 Further reading editBedard Greg A October 9 2005 Celebrity status puzzles muscular referee Hochuli The Palm Beach Post pp 7B nbsp Media related to Ed Hochuli at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ed Hochuli amp oldid 1187502987, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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