Ed Hochuli facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ed Hochuli
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Hochuli in 2017
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| Born | December 25, 1950 |
| Alma mater | University of Texas at El Paso University of Arizona Law School |
| Occupation | NFL official (1990–2017) Attorney (Jones, Skelton & Hochuli, P.L.C.) (1983–2021) |
| Children | 6 (including Shawn Hochuli) |
Edward G. Hochuli (born December 25, 1950) is a retired American attorney and former American football official. He worked as a lawyer from 1983 to 2021. He was also 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 years at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).
Hochuli worked many important playoff games, including two Super Bowls. He is well-known for his strong, athletic build. He is also famous for explaining rules on the field in a way that is easy to understand. In 2008, a poll by ESPN named him one of the "best referees" in the NFL. He retired in March 2018. In 2019, his son Shawn Hochuli became an NFL referee too.
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Ed Hochuli's Early Life and Family
Growing Up and School
Ed Hochuli was born on December 25, 1950, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. When he was eight, his family moved to Tucson, Arizona. He was the second of six children. He went to Canyon del Oro High School and graduated in 1969.
In high school, he played football, basketball, wrestling, and ran track. He was very competitive, partly because of his older brother, Chip. Ed wanted his family to be proud of him. He earned a degree from the University of Texas at El Paso in 1972. While there, he played linebacker on the football team from 1969 to 1972.
Ed's father, Walter Hochuli, was a lawyer who planned wills and estates. This inspired Ed to study law. He earned his law degree from the University of Arizona Law School in 1976. After finishing school, he became a lawyer in Arizona.
His Family Life
Ed Hochuli lives in the Phoenix metropolitan area with his wife, Cathie. They have six children and ten grandchildren. One of his sons, Shawn Hochuli, also played college football. Shawn followed his father into officiating and became an NFL official in 2014. Shawn even refereed a major Arena Football League championship game in 2011.
Another son, Scott Hochuli, owns a home design and remodeling company. Ed's other sons, Daniel and Peter, also work in law. Daniel is a town attorney, and Peter is a judge.
Ed Hochuli's Career as a Lawyer
Ed Hochuli was a trial lawyer and a partner at the law firm Jones, Skelton and Hochuli, P.L.C. He was with the firm from when it started in 1983 until he retired. The firm grew from a small group to over 80 lawyers.
He worked on many different types of civil cases. He once said he was involved in about 200 cases at any time. He enjoyed the challenge of trying cases, calling it an "adrenaline rush." He compared it to a game with rules and a clear outcome.
Hochuli found similarities between being a lawyer and a football official. He said that on the football field, people trust him because he's in charge. He tries to convince people his decisions are right, just like a lawyer convinces a jury. He also said that the pressure of a trial was nothing compared to making a quick decision in the NFL with millions watching.
Ed Hochuli's Officiating Career
Starting Out as an Official
Hochuli began officiating Pop Warner football games when he was a law student. He did it to earn extra money and stay connected to the game. He also umpired Little League Baseball games from 1970 to 1973.
By 1973, he focused on football officiating. He worked high school games in Tucson until 1985. He also officiated college football games for the Big Sky Conference and Pacific-10 Conference in the 1980s.
His Time in the NFL
The NFL hired Hochuli in 1990 as a back judge. His first NFL game was on August 11, 1990. He worked with referee Howard Roe for his first two years. To gain more experience, he also worked games in the World League of American Football (WLAF) in 1991 and 1992.
He became a referee, or crew chief, in 1992. This happened when longtime referee Stan Kemp had to retire due to illness. Hochuli was asked to be a referee for the first time in a preseason game between the Denver Broncos and the Cincinnati Bengals.
As a referee, Hochuli led the officiating crews for Super Bowl XXXII and Super Bowl XXXVIII. He was also chosen as an alternate official for other Super Bowls. He officiated five conference championship games. The NFL grades every official's performance each week. These grades help decide who gets to work playoff games and the Super Bowl. Hochuli said his mentor, Jerry Markbreit, a four-time Super Bowl referee, was a big influence on his career.
One famous moment happened in 1993 during a Thanksgiving Day game between the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins. A field goal attempt was blocked, and a Cowboys player accidentally touched the loose ball. Hochuli had to talk to other officials to figure out what happened. He correctly ruled that Miami kept the ball, and they went on to win the game.
In 2005, he officiated the first regular-season NFL game played outside the United States. This game was between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City, Mexico. For the first penalty announcement, Hochuli gave the explanation in Spanish to honor the host country. His son, Shawn Hochuli, did something similar in 2024, announcing a penalty in German during a game in Munich, Germany.
Hochuli was the referee for a game in 2006 where Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre broke the record for most pass completions in the NFL. Hochuli even told Favre about the record during the game! He also refereed another game in 2007 when Favre broke the record for most touchdown passes.
One of Hochuli's most memorable announcements came in a 2007 game. He explained a play by saying, "There was no foul on the play. It was not a hold. The defender was just overpowered." This explanation became very famous.
On September 14, 2008, Hochuli made a mistake in a game between the San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos. He blew his whistle too early on a play where the Broncos quarterback fumbled. This mistake affected the game's outcome. Hochuli later said, "Affecting the outcome of a game is a devastating feeling. Officials strive for perfection – I failed miserably." Because of this, the NFL changed a rule the next year to allow such plays to be reviewed by instant replay.
Officials' Strike in 2001
Ed Hochuli was the head of the NFL Referees Association (NFLRA). This is the union that represents NFL game officials. In 2001, the union was trying to get a new contract for the officials. Officials wanted a much bigger pay raise than the league was offering.
For the first time in NFL history, replacement officials were used during the regular season. Hochuli sent an email to potential replacement officials, warning them that working as a "scab" could hurt their chances of ever getting into the NFL. He later said he regretted sending that email. The disagreement ended on September 19, 2001. Officials agreed to a six-year deal with higher salaries. They returned to work on September 23, 2001, after games had been paused due to the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Ed Hochuli's Celebrity Status
Ed Hochuli became very popular among football fans. Many people believe his fame started when former NFL quarterback Phil Simms mentioned how big Hochuli's arms were during a TV broadcast. Fans even created websites and blogs about him. He is often called "Hochules," combining his last name with "Hercules" because of his strong muscles.
Even though he is famous, Hochuli doesn't fully understand why. He once said, "I get a kick out of the notoriety, because I'm just a referee. I'm not the players. The players are the game." He thinks his fame comes from explaining things clearly and having a good physique, even though he feels small compared to the players.
People recognize him everywhere, even in airports and courtrooms. He has been approached by famous athletes like former NBA player Charles Barkley. He enjoys the attention and praise he receives from fans.
The NFL Network even made a TV show about Hochuli in 2005 called Six Days to Sunday. It showed how he prepared for games each week. This included watching 15 hours of video, doing administrative tasks, reading the rulebook, and taking weekly tests on rules.
Hochuli's fame also led to him being mentioned on the "Top Ten List" on the Late Show with David Letterman in 2002. His likeness appears in the Madden NFL video game series starting with Madden NFL 06. He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine in 2012. In 2015, he became the subject of "Fallacy Ref," a series of internet memes about logical mistakes.
