If you’ve followed the NFL over the past couple decades, two officials come to mind more than most. Of course, we’re talking about the venerable Ed Hochuli as well as Jeff Triplette. Starting this coming NFL season, that’s not going to be the case.
The league announced on Tuesday that both Hochuli and Triplette are retiring.
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
Known for his massive guns (arms) and extended explanation of on-field calls, Hochuli has been officiating games since 1990. He’s the longest-tenured official in the game. Meanwhile, Triplette has been calling NFL games since 1996.
Some have concluded that it’s time for the NFL to move on to a new generation of officials. With these two long-timers retiring, we could be on the verge of that happening.