Football fans are already convinced that the Philadelphia Eagles-Washington Commanders NFC Championship contest has been “rigged” after some interesting details emerged on the NFL refs who were assigned the game.
On Monday, the NFL announced that Shawn Hochuli and his crew will work the NFC Championship Game between the two NFC East rivals. Clete Blakeman’s crew has been assigned the AFC Championship Game between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs.
After the league revealed its officiating crews, several folks on X/Twitter noted that the Eagles are 6-0 in games called by Hochuli since Nick Sirianni became their head coach in 2021.
Referee in charge for Commanders/Eagles is Shawn Hochuli
— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) January 20, 2025
• This season, he officiated the Week 15 game vs the Saints in which Washington was penalized 9 times to New Orleans 4 penalties.
• Eagles are 6-0 (with Sirianni) when Hochuli officiates. pic.twitter.com/iJNu3U4dcV
Shawn Hochuli will be the referee for the NFC Championship Game.
— Anthony DiBona (@DiBonaNFL) January 20, 2025
Hochuli was the referee for Philadelphia’s win over the Browns in Week 6.
Since 2021, Hochuli has officiated six games for the Eagles. Philadelphia won all six games. pic.twitter.com/8c3YGp7dN1
Also of note, Hochuli’s crew mysteriously failed to stop the clock at the end of the Commanders’ Week 15 road game against the New Orleans Saints. The miscue allowed New Orleans to run another play and get a touchdown, though they missed the game-winning two-point conversion:
🚨REMINDER: SHAWN HOCHULI SCREWED THE #COMMANDERS THIS SEASON WITH ONE OF THE WORST REFEREEING MOVES EVER.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) January 20, 2025
He stopped the clock for 4 seconds when it should’ve been running, giving NOLA a chance to win.
Wash. has a losing record with Hochuli refereeing. pic.twitter.com/mhkIAlOAnl https://t.co/4RMPsrycI9
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So you can probably guess how fans reacted to the league’s announcement on the NFL refs for championship weekend.
“How does hochuli get a Washington assignment after he rigged the saints game against them!,” one fan asked.
How does hochuli get a Washington assignment after he rigged the saints game against them!
— Coach Harry Ellis (@Jetspete) January 20, 2025
“Hochuli reffing the eagles game you had a good run Washington,” said another.
Hochuli reffing the eagles game you had a good run Washington https://t.co/oeVaENx8Nn
— . (@yankees_giants) January 20, 2025
“As @Orandy587 correctly pointed out, commanders are so screwed with Hochuli as their ref. Both bills and dolphins fans know Hochuli is a massive Eagles fan,” one fan quipped.
As @Orandy587 correctly pointed out, commanders are so screwed with Hochuli as their ref. Both bills and dolphins fans know Hochuli is a massive Eagles fan
— maddie – chiefs hate week (@BillsGal419) January 20, 2025
“But hochuli is 5-0 when officiating the eagles smh the fix is in 😔 @NFL @AdamSchefter @NFLRIGGING,” a fan said.
But hochuli is 5-0 when officiating the eagles smh the fix is in 😔 @NFL @AdamSchefter @NFLRIGGING
— Mr. Negative (@kxng_breezy1) January 20, 2025
“NFL gotta be the most rigged league in the world. More scripted than WWE,” remarked another.
NFL gotta be the most rigged league in the world. More scripted than WWE
— Ben (@TheHurricaneBen) January 20, 2025
“Eagles have refs on their payroll this is known,” said a fan.
Eagles have refs on their payroll this is known
— Chase (@HofChase) January 20, 2025
On the flipside, the Chiefs are 6-5 in games officiated by Blakeman in the Patrick Mahomes era. That isn’t eye-popping by any means, but you’ll find a long list of disgruntled fans claiming the “fix is in” with a quick search on X.
NFL Refs Need To Bring Their A-Game This Weekend
There are missed calls in every football game, but the Chiefs-Houston Texans Divisional Round contest was especially filled with head-scratching miscues by the refs. That included two awful “Roughing the Passer” calls against Houston on Patrick Mahomes, as well as a missed hip-drop tackle by Bryan Cook on Dalton Schultz.
So Hochuli and Blakeman’s crews need to bring their A-game and either “let them play” or call the penalties fairly on both sides. With trips to the Super Bowl at stake, the last thing the NFL needs is more officiating controversies.
