Referee for Chiefs-Texans playoff game worked first meeting between the teams
It would be unfair to blame the Chiefs’ 31-24 loss to the Houston Texans in October on the officials, but there was one big call that went against Kansas City.
With the Chiefs leading 17-9 in the second quarter, the Texans intercepted a Patrick Mahomes pass. A penalty flag was thrown for pass interference when Travis Kelce was thrown to the ground.
The officials huddled and the penalty was rescinded. Referee Shawn Hochuli announced: “After discussion, the contact that was potentially a hold was while the ball was in the air. It is not pass interference because it was not on the receiver that caught the ball.”
Guess who is working Sunday’s AFC divisional playoff game between the Chiefs and Texans? It’s Hochuli, as the NFL announced this week.
Football Zebras noted that Hochuli is in his sixth season as an official and second as a referee.
“This is Hochuli’s 4th postseason assignment, and his first as referee. His first three assignments, 1 wild card playoff and 2 divisional playoffs, were as a back judge,” Football Zebras wrote.
According to Football Reference, Hochuli has worked 15 games this season as a referee, and 42.9% of the penalties called by his crew have been on the home team. The home team’s winning percentage in games called by his crew is 46.7%, which is below the league average (51%).
Hochuli’s crew called 21 penalties in that first Texans-Chiefs game.
This story was originally published January 9, 2020 at 9:59 AM.
