Ed Hochuli, in his 19th year as a referee, blew the whistle that was heard ’round the NFL in a call that cost the San Diego Chargers a victory against the Denver Broncos.
The call was botched when Bronco’s QB Jay Cutler had the ball slip off his hand in San Diego territory, bouncing off the grass and into the arms of San Diego linebacker Tim Dobbins. Hochuli ruled it an incomplete pass instead of a fumble, allowing the Broncos to keep the ball and then score the winning points.
Hochuli has since been flooded with hate email and has issued a response:
I’m getting hundreds of emails – hate mail – but I’m responding to it all. People deserve a response.
You can rest assured that nothing anyone can say can make me feel worse than I already feel about my mistake on the fumble play. You have no idea . . .
Affecting the outcome of a game is a devastating feeling. Officials strive for perfection – I failed miserably. Although it does no good to say it, I am very, very sorry.
Ed Hochuli
The NFL Referees Association is standing behind Hochuli. “No one feels worse about this than Ed, but like the coaches and players in our high-speed game, mistakes will occur,” NFLRA executive director Tim Millis said in a statement.