IRVING, Texas -- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was fined $25,000 by the NFL for publicly criticizing referee Ed Hochuli.
It is the first time that Jones, who has owned the team 20 seasons, has been fined by the NFL.
Jones didn't talk to reporters in the locker room Sunday after the Cowboys' 26-24 loss to the Washington Redskins.
Jones told reporters two weeks ago that Hochuli was one of the most criticized officials. The owner followed up that on his weekly radio show with comments about how Hochuli's crew calls a lot of penalties.
"Maybe the answer is to tell people like that, 'Keep that whistle out of your mouth,'" Jones said on his radio show. "My gut here is the emphasis is going to have to be taking officials like that and getting somebody else if they're going to be penalty prone."
Jones' comments followed Hochuli's missed call two weeks ago that helped Denver's comeback 39-38 win over San Diego. Hochuli later admitted he made the wrong call when he ruled an incomplete pass when Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler dropped back to pass and the ball slipped from his hand.
Hochuli was at the center of another questionable call Sunday, flagging Julius Peppers for a roughing-the-passer penalty that wiped out Carolina's interception return for a touchdown in the first quarter against Atlanta, though the Panthers went on to a 24-9 victory.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
