Sports

Ed Hochuli Named Top NFL Official Despite Bad Call

by Jon Azpiri | January 4, 2009 at 12:30 pm

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NFL referee Ed Hochuli is working the Raven-Dolphins playoff game this weekend after being ranked among the top NFL officials. The veteran NFL referee was highly rated by league brass despite acknowledging that Hochuli made a bad call during a game between the San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos, a call that ultimately cost the Chargers the game and nearly cost them a playoff spot.

NFL brass assign playoff games to officiating crews based on their performance during the regular season. During the Ravens-Dolphins game, CBS announcer color analyst Phil Simms stated that the league actually rated Hochuli and his crew as the best crew of NFL officials, a decision that surprised many considering Hochuli's high-profile mistake during the Chargers-Dolphins game. In addition, Hochuli was involved in another controversial call when he called back a touchdown run by Ryan Grant that cost the Green Bay running back $1.35 million in bonuses.

Despite his public controversies, Hochuli has long been considered one of the NFL's best referees. No doubt, the NFL made its decision based on his work throughout the season rather than just a series of isolated incidents.

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melissatruth

at 13:06 on January 4th, 2009

I absolutely think that Ed Hochuli is the best ref in the NFL, despite the bad call made in week 2. He works playoff games and has been in the Super Bowl recently too. Plus he has the best arms of any ref :) Watching him call the penalties is always amusing when he flexes those enormous arms. I hear that in the off-season he's a lawyer in San Diego. I was very happy to see him working the 49er-Jets game that I attended in December!

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