The NFL's most famous and most controversial referees are both retiring
The NFL is losing two familiar faces and one familiar set of biceps from its officiating crew.
While rumors of the two officials’ departure have been surfacing for months, NFL Senior Vice President of Officiating Al Riveron announced via Twitter on Tuesday that longtime referees Ed Hochuli and Jeff Triplette are officially retiring from their positions.
Congratulations to our 2 newest @NFL referees, former BJ Shawn Hochuli & former SJ Alex Kemp. Best wishes to our 2 retiring referees, Ed Hochuli & Jeff Triplette. pic.twitter.com/iEv6xOprkf
— NFL Officiating (@NFLOfficiating) March 6, 2018
Hochuli will be replaced by his son and former back judge Shawn Hochuli, while Triplette will be replaced by former side judge Alex Kemp, according to 24/7 Sports.
The 67-year-old Hochuli received well wishes on Twitter from NFL fans who were sad to hear the news, with some even making humorous references to his notable physical appearance.
https://twitter.com/Gidgenator/status/971076206249562112
https://twitter.com/NickBronson6/status/971074624946606080
https://twitter.com/ZachAJacobson/status/971078247441051648
Ed Hochuli is retiring from NFL officiating, no word yet on if he's retiring from the preacher curls. pic.twitter.com/JyLRnBUr3g
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 6, 2018
While Hochuli received love from many fans, Triplette wasn’t as fortunate, as many took to Twitter to offer him good riddance.
https://twitter.com/harvydas/status/971077125745905664
https://twitter.com/blakeglover777/status/971075848420896769
https://twitter.com/BrianJonesOK/status/971076305075744769
Thank god Triplette is done.
— Skrshhhhhh (@Cheeze23head) March 6, 2018
Triplette was criticized over his career for questionable officiating performances, most recently his work during the Tennessee Titans 22-21 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in a wild card playoff contest in January.
FOX Sports rules analyst and former VP of NFL Officiating Mike Pereira took to Twitter after the game to criticize the performance of Triplett’s crew on the field, writing that “Teams and fans deserve better.”
Horrible way to start the playoffs. I hate to say it but this was not a good performance by the crew. Teams and fans deserve better.
— Mike Pereira (@MikePereira) January 7, 2018
His most notable gaffe, however, came in 1999 when he temporarily blinded Cleveland Browns lineman Orlando Brown after striking him in the eye with a penalty flag weighted with ball bearings.
Triplette joined the league as an official 1996 and was promoted to referee in 1999, and while he never officiated in a Super Bowl, 67-year-old Hochuli had the opportunity to partake in two.
In 1990, Hochuli joined the NFL as a back judge before being promoted to referee in 1992, according to NFL.com.
He served as a referee for Super Bowl XXXII between the Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers, and Super Bowl XXXVIII between the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots.
Hochuli’s name may likely appear as the most recognizable of the two newly retired officials, mainly because he was arguably the most recognizable referee ever to officiate the game. As noted by For The Win, Hochuli was somewhat of a cult figure due to his sculpted physique — a relative rarity for someone his age.
His adherence to a strict physical fitness regiment even landed him a write-up in Sports Illustrated, where his diet and training techniques were documented. In the piece, Hochuli admitted that he strives to maintain his physique because NFL players respect an official who maintains an athletic build.
While it remains to be seen what Triplette’s plans are now that he is retiring, Hochuli will reportedly work as an independent consultant. As reported by ESPN.com, Hochuli recently met with the NFL’s competition committee as well as other NFL operations officials in his new role.
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