Referee Hochuli hangs up his ‘guns’

Ed Hochuli, the NFL’s longest-tenured referee, is retiring after 28 years with the league, senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron announced Tuesday. Arguably one of the NFL’s most recognizable and well-known referees, Hochuli joined the league as a back judge in 1990 and was promoted to referee in 1992. He officiated two Super Bowls, one in 1998 and another in 2004, and will be replaced by his son, Shawn, who spent last season as a back judge. To casual fans, Hochuli is perhaps best known for his muscular physique, which has also drawn laughs and ribbing from players. A former linebacker at Texas-El Paso, Hochuli told USA TODAY in 2007 that he “(gets) a kick out of the notoriety” he’s received for his build. “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,” Hochuli said. “Neither one of those things has anything to do with whether I’m a good referee.”