NFL Officiating Observatory
CREW CHIEF PROFILE
Shawn Hochuli: NFL referee penalty stats (2026)
Shawn Hochuli is an NFL referee (crew chief). In 2026, games his crew has worked average 14.3 accepted penalties over 6 games, 2% below the league's 14.7. Across 2015–25 his crew averaged 13.3 per game (124 games), a game-changers style: lots of flags, and big ones.
Calling style
Career (2015–25): Game-changers, lots of flags, and big ones. 2026 so far: Let them play.
- Calls more offensive holding: 19% above the league rate
- Calls fewer delay of game: 17% below the league rate
- Calls more roughing the passer: 38% above the league rate
Calls most like: Carl Cheffers, Adrian Hill.
Penalty types vs the league (2015–25, season-adjusted, per game)
| Penalty | Per game | vs league rate |
|---|---|---|
| Roughing the Passer | 0.56 | +38% |
| Offensive Holding | 2.94 | +19% |
| Delay of Game | 0.45 | -17% |
| Defensive Holding | 0.85 | +12% |
| Illegal Block Above the Waist | 0.43 | +10% |
| False Start | 2.39 | +8% |
| Neutral Zone Infraction | 0.44 | -3% |
| Defensive Pass Interference | 1.04 | +2% |
| Unnecessary Roughness | 0.69 | +2% |
| Defensive Offside | 0.56 | -2% |
Season by season
| Season | Games | Flags / game |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 15 | 16.9 |
| 2019 | 16 | 12.6 |
| 2020 | 15 | 12.1 |
| 2021 | 17 | 13.1 |
| 2022 | 17 | 11.7 |
| 2023 | 17 | 10.8 |
| 2024 | 17 | 13.8 |
| 2025 | 17 | 13.9 |
| 2026 | 6 | 14.3 |
Recent games
| Date | Game | Score | Flags | By team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-18 | HOU @ JAX | 34–31 | 12 | HOU 6 · JAX 6 |
| 2026-10-11 | DEN @ LAC | 23–17 | 16 | DEN 7 · LAC 9 |
| 2026-10-04 | TEN @ BAL | 18–24 | 18 | TEN 5 · BAL 13 |
| 2026-09-28 | PHI @ CHI | 7–27 | 15 | PHI 10 · CHI 5 |
| 2026-09-20 | WAS @ DAL | 20–37 | 10 | WAS 5 · DAL 5 |
| 2026-09-13 | GB @ MIN | 22–39 | 15 | GB 12 · MIN 3 |
| 2026-01-18 | LA @ CHI | 20–17 | 4 | LA 1 · CHI 3 |
| 2026-01-04 | WAS @ PHI | 24–17 | 13 | WAS 4 · PHI 9 |
| 2025-12-21 | JAX @ DEN | 34–20 | 8 | JAX 2 · DEN 6 |
| 2025-12-14 | LAC @ KC | 16–13 | 14 | LAC 5 · KC 9 |
Questions
How many penalties does Shawn Hochuli call per game?
In 2026 through Week 7, games Shawn Hochuli's crew worked averaged 14.3 accepted penalties and 115.2 penalty yards per game (6 games). His 2015–25 average was 13.3; the 2026 league average is 14.7.
What penalties does Shawn Hochuli call most?
Per game, 2015–25: offensive holding (2.94), false start (2.39), defensive pass interference (1.04). Compared with other crews: Calls more offensive holding: 19% above the league rate; Calls fewer delay of game: 17% below the league rate.
Does Shawn Hochuli call more penalties on the home team?
In 2015–25, 48% of the flags in his games were on the home team (league: 49%). Small differences like this are normal and are not evidence of bias.
Statistics reflect the crew chief's assignment; crews change around the chief each year. Patterns, not motives.