Megan BullShawn Hochuli is an American football official best known for his work as a referee in the National Football League (NFL). He comes from one of the NFL’s most recognizable officiating families.
His father, Ed Hochuli, was a longtime NFL referee who became famous for his detailed rule explanations and distinctive presence on the field. Shawn followed his father into football officiating and eventually succeeded him as an NFL referee.
Hochuli joined the NFL as a side judge in 2014. He was one of several new officials hired by the league that year, and his appointment attracted attention because he was the son of Ed Hochuli. At the time, the NFL described him as a new side judge, while his father was already one of the league’s most experienced referees.
During his early NFL career, Shawn Hochuli worked in different officiating roles. Available career records list him as a side judge and back judge before he became a referee.
This experience allowed him to develop familiarity with NFL rules and game administration from multiple positions on an officiating crew. Pro-Football-Reference records show his NFL career beginning in 2014 and list him as a side judge that season, followed by back-judge assignments in subsequent seasons.
A major turning point came in 2018, when Ed Hochuli announced his retirement from the NFL. Ed had been an NFL official since 1990 and had served as a referee since 1992.
When he retired, the NFL promoted Shawn Hochuli from back judge to referee, making him one of the league’s newest referees. The promotion was announced alongside the promotion of Alex Kemp, who also moved into the referee position.
Shawn’s promotion was notable because it continued the Hochuli family’s connection with NFL officiating. However, his career was not simply a continuation of his father’s position. Shawn had already accumulated several seasons of NFL experience before becoming a referee.
ESPN reported in 2018 that both Shawn Hochuli and Alex Kemp had been viewed as officials with the potential to become referees, highlighting that their promotions followed established officiating careers rather than being purely family appointments.
As a referee, Hochuli is responsible for leading an NFL officiating crew and overseeing the enforcement of the league’s rules during games. The referee is the crew member who communicates major rulings to players, coaches, stadium spectators and television audiences. This makes the position one of the most visible and demanding jobs among NFL officials.
Hochuli has continued to work regular-season NFL games as a referee. His career statistics show referee assignments beginning in 2018 and continuing through the 2025 season.
Pro-Football-Reference records show that he officiated 17 regular-season games in each of the 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 seasons, in addition to his earlier work as an NFL referee.
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One of the most interesting aspects of Shawn Hochuli’s career is the contrast between his public identity and that of his father. Ed Hochuli became an unusually famous NFL official, partly because of his muscular physique and his famously detailed explanations of controversial rulings. Shawn entered the league with that family legacy already established, but he has developed his own career as a referee.
His progression from side judge to back judge and ultimately to referee demonstrates the normal advancement through different officiating responsibilities within the NFL.
The Hochuli name therefore has a distinctive place in professional football officiating. Ed Hochuli’s career lasted nearly three decades, including two Super Bowl assignments, while Shawn has continued the family’s presence on NFL fields since joining the league in 2014.
Shawn Hochuli’s career is also an example of how officiating can become a multigenerational profession. His father’s experience undoubtedly made the Hochuli name familiar to football fans, but Shawn still had to establish himself through years of NFL officiating before receiving the referee position. His career records show more than a decade of NFL service and progression through multiple officiating roles.
Today, Shawn Hochuli is recognized primarily for his role as an NFL referee and for continuing the officiating tradition associated with the Hochuli family.
His career combines professional experience, advancement through NFL officiating positions and a unique family connection to one of the league’s most recognizable former referees. While much of the public attention surrounding him has historically focused on his relationship with Ed Hochuli, Shawn has established a substantial NFL career of his own.
