The NFL world is in uproar after retired referee Ed Hochuli broke his silence on the controversial officiating during the Week 6 matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions, which ended in a 30–17 win for the Chiefs.
Hochuli accused the officiating crew, led by Craig Wrolstad, of making several “ignored calls” that appeared intentional rather than accidental.
“I watched the game frame by frame — those weren’t missed calls, they were ignored,” Hochuli said. “Detroit lost a football game, but someone out there likely profited from that result. It feels rigged.”
The controversy revolves around three critical moments:
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A missed holding on Travis Kelce in a touchdown drive.
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A roughing-the-passer flag on Aidan Hutchinson that extended a key Chiefs possession.
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A Kelce drop that was incorrectly ruled a catch before Detroit could challenge.
The NFL’s post-game review classified all three incidents as “critical officiating errors” that influenced the final score. As a result, the entire officiating crew was fined, removed from high-profile assignments, and ordered to undergo mandatory retraining.
In an unprecedented statement, the league admitted:
“Sunday’s officiating did not meet our standards. We’ve taken corrective measures to protect competitive integrity.”
With the Chiefs escaping the game without a single penalty, outrage has surged among Lions fans, while Hochuli’s remarks continue to fuel suspicions of manipulation across the league.
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