NFL Refs

NCAA and NFL Referee news

Hochuli involved in another controversial call: helmet-to-helmet in ATL-CAR

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If not for the mess in week one, this probably wouldn’t even be a story.  Unfortunately, it is.

Early in the first quarter of the Falcons-Panthers game today, referee Ed Hochuli flagged Julius Peppers for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Falcons’ QB Matt Ryan.  The play had resulted in an interception and a touchdown for the Panthers, but it was called back due to the penalty.  Should it have been called?

I watched the game live, and thought it was the right call.  It certainly appeared to be helmet-to-helmet, although it wasn’t very hard and it didn’t seem to be intentional.  I really think this was a call that could go either way.  Sadly for Hochuli, the call had a very direct impact on the game, taking seven points away from the Panthers.  Like his call a few weeks ago, he threw the flag before the “big play” happened, so he had no way of knowing how important the call would be.

If I can find a video or screencap of the hit, I’ll post it here.  Please let me know if you find one.

Hochuli unsure about working this Sunday?

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It seems that Ed Hochuli may be considering taking a week off, based on a small change on his “official” website.

As of yesterday, the site proudly proclaimed that Ed would be working the Browns-Ravens game this Sunday.  Today, that message changed to:

Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 21st – Check back Sunday Morning

I’ll admit — this might not mean anything.  Still, I find it quite odd that they’d take down the game listing at this point in time.

Mike Pereira, the NFL’s supervisor of officials, has already come out and encouraged Ed to get back out there.  Between that, Ed’s apology, no suspension from the league, and the listing on his site, I assumed he was good go to.  Maybe not.

Anyone have any good information about this?  If so, please leave it in the comments below.

Hochuli is devasted, but Pereira wants him back on the field this weekend

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The NFL’s supervisor of officials, Mike Pereira, says that he has spoken to Ed Hochuli a few times over the past week and that Hochuli still feels devastated about what happened.  According to Pereira:

“He is a consummate professional who’s refereed in this league for 17 years and he hates to make any mistake. So when you add a mistake of this magnitude, at this particular junction of the game, it’s been really hard on him. We’ve talked probably seven or eight times since that game, and my whole goal is to try to get him back to get on the horse and work again this weekend. He’s too good of a guy, too good of an official to keep off the field over this critical mistake he made. I think he’ll be all right, but he’s really been affected over this mistake he made.”

If Pereira is right and Hochuli gets right back into it, he’s scheduled to ref the Browns-Ravens game at 4:15EST.

Hochuli issues an apology for Chargers-Broncos blown call

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Referee Ed Hochuli has issued a brief statement apologizing for the blown call in last week’s Chargers-Broncos game.  His statement:

“I’m getting hundreds of e-mails — hate mail — but I’m responding to it all.  People deserve a response. You can rest assured that nothing anyone can say can make me feel worse than I already feel about my mistake on the fumble play. You have no idea … Affecting the outcome of a game is a devastating feeling. Officials strive for perfection — I failed miserably. Although it does no good to say it, I am very, very sorry.”

At this point, I’m not sure what else can be done.  He’s apologized and the league will look into the “inadvertent whistle” rule, so hopefully this story can start to go to rest.

You can bet his next game will be scrutinized closely, though.