Watch: NFL referee stuns fans by calling penalty in German during Giants-Panthers’ game in Germany

The NFL has scheduled regular season games in Germany since 2022. Referee Shawn Hochuli is helping grow the league's popularity in the country.

Hochuli, the referee of Sunday's game between the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers in Munich, Germany, shocked the crowd when he spoke in German to announce a penalty during the first quarter of the game. Hochuli called a false start penalty on Panthers center Cade Mays. He said the whole penalty in German except the end when he said "It's by the center, it's third down."

The crowd roared in approval inside Allianz Arena, which thrilled Hochuli, who may have cracked a smile. NFL Network announcers Rich Eisen and Kurt Warner were equally surprised and impressed by Hochuli's German.

Hochuli apparently was inspired by his father Ed, who was also a NFL referee for 27 years. Ed Hochuli refereed the first NFL game in Mexico in 2005 and he called the first penalty in Spanish during that game.