Shawn Hochuli needed the fans at Arrowhead Stadium to start using their inside voices.
As he readied himself to announce a penalty during the second quarter of Saturday’s Chiefs-Jaguars Divisional Round game, Hochuli turned his mic on a second too early.
“Everybody shut up,” Hochuli was heard saying, before calling roughing the passer against the Jaguars’ Arden Key.
With the Chiefs on their way to a fifth consecutive AFC title game, as they beat Jacksonville 27-20 behind a hobbled Patrick Mahomes, you could forgive the crowd for not complying.
Hochuli, though, seems to be in the mold of his father, Ed, who was well-known for his on-field explanations before retiring from refereeing in 2018.
Shawn Hochuli entered the league in 2014 and has been a referee since 2018. He gained notoriety last postseason when he flagged Tom Brady for unsportsmanlike conduct.
NFL referee Shawn Hochuli (c.) poses with his officiating crew before the Chiefs-Jaguars game on Jan. 21, 2023.AP
The Jaguars’ Arden Key was called for roughing the passer after referee Shawn Hochuli’s hot-mic moment.Getty ImagesThe Chiefs will play the winner of Sunday’s Bills-Bengals game. Should the Bills win, the AFC Championship game will be played in Atlanta, the neutral site chosen for a potential Chiefs-Bills game.
