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Longtime NFL referee Ed Hochuli has called it a career and his riding off into the sunset.
According to ESPN, Hochuli has retired from the NFL and will be replaced by his son Shawn.
Via ESPN
NFL referee Ed Hochuli has retired, the league announced Tuesday, ending a colorful career that made him one of the most recognized game officials in American sports.
Ed Hochuli is the second referee to retire since the end of the regular season; Jeff Triplette’s retirement was confirmed in January. Triplette will be replaced by side judge Alex Kemp, the league announced.
Hochuli’s pending retirement has been rumored in league circles for months, but he refused on multiple occasions to confirm it publicly. He spent part of last week in his new role as an independent consultant, meeting with the NFL’s competition committee and other football operations officials.
Of course everyone on the Internet couldn’t help themselves and had to make the same joke about the NFL banning guns after Hochuli announced his retirement from football.
we're aware Gun Control is a controversial topic these days, and we try to stick to sports, but did we really need Ed Hochuli to retire? #GunShow
— DRAFT (@PlayDraft) March 6, 2018
With Ed Hochuli retiring, they finally succeeded in taking our guns away.
— Andy H. (@AndyAsAdjective) March 6, 2018
The NFL is doing their part with gun control today as Ed Hochuli retiring. There will be two less guns on the field without him out there!
— Mark Schuring (@MarkSchuring1) March 6, 2018
Well, you wanted to get rid of Guns…now Ed Hochuli is retiring.#edhochuli #nfl #guns
— Mitch Pabst (@mitchblueribbon) March 6, 2018
I guess the NFL is banning guns.
Ed Hochuli is retiring.
You were one of the good ones, Ed. May we all strive to have your biceps.
— My Friend Don (@TheDonStein) March 6, 2018
Ed Hochuli retiring his guns shows how serious the the #NFL is about gun control.
— H2P (@PITTnation1) March 6, 2018
First step of gun restriction starts here I guess
— Brian Owens (@owens11b) March 6, 2018
FREQUENTLY USED JOKES ABOUT ED HOCHULI RETIRING:
1) NFL taking “ban guns” debate seriously
2) Is this about gun control?
3) Guns Out
4) The guns have been holstered
5) “NFL is taking the guns away”
6) Hanging up the guns
7) “Young Guns” will be replacing Ed— Freezing Cold Takes (@OldTakesExposed) March 6, 2018
We’ll miss Ed Hochuli and his huge biceps. Thankfully there’s still one buff referee in town and we can continue making guns jokes from here to eternity.
When you hit triceps earlier today and you want America to be aware. pic.twitter.com/AwWDyFaVpa
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) January 10, 2017
Yo Ed Hochuli, do you even lift bro? pic.twitter.com/MAAKCyrAjf
— SB Nation GIF (@SBNationGIF) January 10, 2017