View source for Merril Hoge

{{Short description|American football player and analyst (born 1965)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Merril Hoge 
| number      = 33
| position    = [[Running back]]
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1965|01|26}}
| birth_place = [[Pocatello, Idaho]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 2
| weight_lb   = 230
| high_school = [[Highland High School (Pocatello, Idaho)|Highland]] (Pocatello)
| college     = [[Idaho State Bengals football|Idaho State]]
| draftyear   = 1987
| draftround  = 10
| draftpick   = 261
| pastteams   =
* [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] ({{NFL Year|1987|1993}})
* [[Chicago Bears]] ({{NFL Year|1994}})
| statlabel1  = Rushing yards
| statvalue1  = 3,139
| statlabel2  = Rushing average
| statvalue2  = 3.8
| statlabel3  = Rushing [[touchdown]]s
| statvalue3  = 21
| pfr         = HogeMe00 
}}

'''Merril DuAine Hoge''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|h|ɒ|dʒ}}; born January 26, 1965) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[running back]] for eight seasons in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] and [[Chicago Bears]]. He played [[college football]] for the [[Idaho State Bengals football|Idaho State Bengals]] and was selected by the Steelers in the 10th round of the [[1987 NFL draft]]. Hoge retired from playing after the [[1994 NFL season|1994 season]]. Since 1996 he had been a football analyst for [[ESPN]] television. Hoge, along with fellow longtime ''[[NFL Matchup]]'' analyst [[Ron Jaworski]], were laid off after wide ESPN cuts in April 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Ryan |date=May 2, 2017 |title=Are Ron Jaworski And Merril Hoge Also Out At ESPN? Ed Werder Says So |url=http://thebiglead.com/2017/05/01/are-ron-jaworski-and-merril-hoge-also-out-at-espn-ed-werder-says-so/ |access-date=October 1, 2023 |website=The Big Lead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Nick  |date=May 2, 2017 |title=ESPN Reportedly Fires Two More Star NFL Reporters |url=http://www.12up.com/posts/4948770-espn-reportedly-fires-two-more-star-nfl-reporters |website=12 Up}}</ref>

==Early life==
Born and raised in [[Pocatello, Idaho]], Hoge graduated from its [[Highland High School (Pocatello, Idaho)|Highland High School]] in 1983. He  stayed in town to play [[college football]] for [[Idaho State Bengals football|Idaho State University]] in the [[Big Sky Conference]],<ref name=lds90>{{cite web|url=https://www.thechurchnews.com/archive/1990-03-31/quiet-but-confident-nfl-player-thrives-on-work-clean-living-2760|publisher=Church News|last=Cannon|first=Mike|title=Quiet but confident, NFL player thrives on work, clean living |date=March 31, 1990|access-date=August 30, 2012}}</ref> and was a three-time all-conference selection (1984–86) at running back for the [[Idaho State Bengals football|Bengals]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.isubengals.com/documents/2012/6/20/All_Conference_and_All_Time_Roster.pdf?id=982|publisher=Idaho State Bengals football|title=All-Conference honorees|year=2012|access-date=August 30, 2012}}</ref>  In 1985, Hoge set an NCAA record with 2,113 all-purpose yards, an average of 192.1 per game, including a school record 1,041 rushing yards.  He finished his college career with an NCAA record 5,453 all-purpose yards and 31 touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bigskyconf.com/news/2013/11/6/FB_1106132915.aspx#:~:text=He%20tallied%201%2C041%20rushing%20yards,It%20still%20ranks%20No.|title = No. 34 Idaho State's Merril Hoge}}</ref>

==Professional football career==
{{NFL predraft
|    height ft = 6
|    height in = 0 5/8
|       weight = 210
|         dash = 4.89
|    ten split = 1.64
| twenty split = 2.81
|      shuttle = 4.09
|     vertical = 28.5
|     broad ft = 8
|     broad in = 4
|        bench = 15
|     arm span = 30
|    hand span = 8 1/2
}}
The [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] selected Hoge in the 10th round of the [[1987 NFL draft]] with the 261st pick overall.<ref>[http://www.nfl.com/draft/history/years/1987#round10 "1987 NFL Draft"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061221044813/http://www.nfl.com/draft/history/years/1987 |date=December 21, 2006 }} NFL website, Draft history</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1987 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1987/draft.htm |access-date=October 1, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> After seven seasons with the Steelers, Hoge signed with the Chicago Bears in 1994, but played in only five games with six carries and 13 receptions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/player/merrilhoge/2501196/careerstats|title = Merril Hoge Career Stats|website = [[NFL.com]]}}</ref>

During a road game in 1994 against the [[Kansas City Chiefs]], Hoge suffered a [[concussion]] and, five days later, the team doctor approved him to resume playing during a telephone call without examining him to determine if he had recovered; he was still suffering post-concussion symptoms.<ref name="arrowheadpride.com">{{Cite web|url=http://www.arrowheadpride.com/2009/11/29/1177823/hoge-shares-chilling-story-on-post|title = Hoge Shares Chilling Story on Post-Concussion Recovery|date = November 29, 2009}}</ref>

Hoge sustained another concussion several weeks later, and had to be resuscitated after he stopped breathing.<ref name="arrowheadpride.com"/> He spent 48 hours in the [[intensive-care unit]] and was forced to retire due to brain injury. Hoge had to learn to read again and experienced memory loss, confusion and headaches. He later sued the Bears team doctor and won a $1.55 million judgment. After discovery the case was lost on appeal.<ref>Brockway, Kevin: [http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20091001/ARTICLES/910029997/1136?Title=Dangers-of-a-concussion&tc=ar "Dangers of a concussion"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722114540/http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20091001/ARTICLES/910029997/1136?Title=Dangers-of-a-concussion&tc=ar |date=July 22, 2011 }} Gainesville Sun, October 1, 2009</ref> Steelers [[team physician]], neurosurgeon Joseph Maroon, had established a baseline for evaluating cognitive effects of concussions, so when Hoge continued to experience impairment after several weeks, he returned to Dr. Maroon for a new evaluation. Maroon's team found a "marked disparency [sic]" (likely meaning a notable ''disparity''), informing Hoge that further concussions would risk permanent brain damage. Upon receiving this information, Hoge retired.<ref>[https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sports/league-of-denial/the-frontline-interview-dr-joseph-maroon/ PBS ''Frontline'' "League of Denial" extended interview]</ref>

In his career, Hoge gained 3,139 rushing yards and 2,133 receiving yards, scoring 34 touchdowns. While playing fullback in the Steelers offense, he scored 10 touchdowns in 1990.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060222203859/http://databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=HOGEMER01 "Merril Hoge"]}} Football Database</ref>

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|-
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
| '''Bold'''
| Career high
|}

===Regular season===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Rushing
! colspan="5"| Receiving
|-
! GP !! GS !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[1987 NFL season|1987]] !! [[1987 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 13 || 0 || 3 || 8 || 2.7 || 5 || 0 || 7 || 97 || '''13.9''' || 27 || 1
|-
! [[1988 NFL season|1988]] !! [[1988 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| '''16''' || 8 || 170 || 705 || 4.1 || 20 || 3 || '''50''' || '''487''' || 9.7 || '''40''' || 3
|-
! [[1989 NFL season|1989]] !! [[1989 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 186 || 621 || 3.3 || 31 || '''8''' || 34 || 271 || 8.0 || 22 || 0
|-
! [[1990 NFL season|1990]] !! [[1990 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| '''16''' || 15 || '''203''' || '''772''' || 3.8 || '''41''' || 7 || 40 || 342 || 8.6 || 27 || 3
|-
! [[1991 NFL season|1991]] !! [[1991 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 165 || 610 || 3.7 || 24 || 2 || 49 || 379 || 7.7 || 25 || 1
|-
! [[1992 NFL season|1992]] !! [[1992 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| '''16''' || 11 || 41 || 150 || 3.7 || 15 || 0 || 28 || 231 || 8.3 || 20 || 1
|-
! [[1993 NFL season|1993]] !! [[1993 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| '''16''' || 13 || 51 || 249 || '''4.9''' || 30 || 1 || 33 || 247 || 7.5 || 18 || '''4'''
|-
! [[1994 NFL season|1994]] !! [[1994 Chicago Bears season|CHI]]
| 5 || 5 || 6 || 24 || 4.0 || 8 || 0 || 13 || 79 || 6.1 || 11 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| !! 114 !! 84 !! 825 !! 3,139 !! 3.8 !! 41 !! 21 !! 254 !! 2,133 !! 8.4 !! 40 !! 13
|}

===Playoffs===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Rushing
! colspan="5"| Receiving
|-
! GP !! GS !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[1989 NFL season|1989]] !! [[1989 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| '''2''' || '''2''' || '''33''' || '''220''' || '''6.7''' || '''49''' || '''2''' || '''11''' || '''86''' || 7.8 || 19 || 0
|-
! [[1992 NFL season|1992]] !! [[1992 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1993 NFL season|1993]] !! [[1993 Pittsburgh Steelers season|PIT]]
| 1 || 1 || 6 || 27 || 4.5 || 9 || 0 || 3 || 43 || '''14.3''' || '''32''' || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| !! 4 !! 4 !! 39 !! 247 !! 6.3 !! 49 !! 2 !! 14 !! 129 !! 9.2 !! 32 !! 0
|}

==Broadcast career==
In 1996, Hoge was hired as an on-air analyst for ESPN. Hoge is a well-known short-tie aficionado.<ref>{{cite web|last=Timothy|first=Burke|title=Merril Hoge's Little Tie is Adorable|url=http://deadspin.com/5908679/merril-hoges-little-tie-is-adorable|work=Deadspin|date=May 8, 2012 |access-date=December 2, 2012}}</ref>

Hoge was laid off from ESPN in May 2017.  In December 2017 "Your Call Football", a fan play-calling competition, hired Hoge as one of its two football coaches, joining former [[Green Bay Packers]] head coach [[Mike Sherman]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/merril-hoge-laid-off-espn-resurfaces-interesting-new-job-165421592.html|title=Merril Hoge, laid off by ESPN, resurfaces with interesting new job|date=December 6, 2017 }}</ref>

==Personal life==
===Surgery===
Hoge injured his shoulder in an automobile accident in June 2002 and had an operation to repair a torn ligament. During an examination six months after surgery, Hoge told his doctor, Jim Bradley, also the Steelers' team physician, about a recurring back pain. Bradley began ordering tests to determine the cause. On February 14, 2003, Hoge was diagnosed with stage II [[Non-Hodgkin lymphoma]]. He had the first of six [[chemotherapy]] treatments on February 28.<ref name=CANCER>Bouchette, Ed: [http://www.post-gazette.com/steelers/20030321hoge3.asp "Merril Hoge tackling cancer"] Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 21, 2003</ref>

{{blockquote|It is destroyable, it is beatable. You have everything in you to do it. The mind is a powerful thing. There is no doubt, come May, I'll be cancer free; five years after that, I'll be cured. Fifty years or whatever time I have left after that, it will be the platform I stand for. I'll be a better man. This has been a blessing.<ref name=CANCER />}}
Soon after treatment began, Stanley Marks, Hoge's oncologist at the [[University of Pittsburgh Medical Center]], gave him a 75-80% chance of prolonged remission.<ref name=CANCER />

On October 31, 2015, one month after he had surgery to repair an enlarged aorta, Merril Hoge returned at work at ESPN on NFL Matchup.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/columnists/paul-daugherty/2015/10/31/paul-daugherty-merril-hoge-perseverance/74931028/|title = Doc: Merril Hoge a study in perseverance}}</ref>

===Family===
Hoge lives in [[Fort Thomas, Kentucky]] with his son Beau (born 1997) and daughter Kori (born 1993). Fort Thomas is a suburb of [[Campbell County, Kentucky]], across the river from [[Cincinnati, Ohio]]. Fellow retired NFL player, [[Cris Collinsworth]], also calls Fort Thomas home. When Hoge was playing for the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]], his wife Toni, who had previously resided there, did not want to live in [[Pittsburgh]]. Accordingly, he deferred to her choice and Fort Thomas became their home. Toni and Merril are now divorced. Beau was a quarterback and running back for [[BYU Cougars football|Brigham Young University]] from 2015 to 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://byucougars.com/athlete/football/112083/beau-hoge|title = Beau Hoge - Football}}</ref> Hoge's nephew, [[Tristen Hoge]], was a rookie offensive lineman for the [[New York Jets]] practice squad after being undrafted in 2021.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ganggreennation.com/2021/7/6/22553874/scouting-jets-offensive-lineman-tristen-hoge | title=Scouting Jets offensive lineman Tristen Hoge | date=July 6, 2021 }}</ref>

His mother died when he was 19.
<ref>Kiesewetter, John: [http://cincinnati.com/blogs/tv/2010/09/23/why-does-espns-merril-hoge-live-here/ "Why Does ESPN’s Merril Hoge Live Here?"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100928015629/http://cincinnati.com/blogs/tv/2010/09/23/why-does-espns-merril-hoge-live-here/ |date=September 28, 2010 }} Cincinnati Enquirer, September 23, 2010</ref>

==Philanthropy==
Hoge has served on the board of directors of the [[Highmark Caring Foundation]] since the early 1990s. He also ran the ''Hoge-Bruener-Ward Celebrity Golf Classic'' for over ten years.<ref name=PSB>Beau is a freshman quarterback at Brigham Young University.[http://premierespeakers.com/merril_hoge/bio "Merril Hoge"] Premiere Speakers Bureau, Motivational Speaker biographies</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100219133833/http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2009/10/hoge_merril/ Merril Hoge ESPN Bio]}}
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060222203859/http://databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=HOGEMER01 Database Football.com]}} - Merril Hoge - career statistics
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20061212172106/http://www.highmarkcaringplace.com/hoge_find_a_way.shtml Highmark Caring Foundation (PA)]}} - Merril Hoge profile
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20061221044813/http://www.nfl.com/draft/history/years/1987#round10 1987 NFL Draft]}} - round 10, 261st overall
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20080118103528/http://www.merrilhoge.com/about.htm Merril Hoge.com]}} - brief profile
*[http://www.golfindoor.com/golf_simulator_video_multimedia_mh.html Merril Hoge - DeadSolid Golf Simulator]

{{Steelers1987DraftPicks}}
{{ESPN NFL Personalities}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hoge, Merril}}
[[Category:American football running backs]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players]]
[[Category:Chicago Bears players]]
[[Category:College football announcers]]
[[Category:Idaho State Bengals football players]]
[[Category:Idaho State University alumni]]
[[Category:NFL announcers]]
[[Category:Arena football announcers]]
[[Category:ESPN people]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Pocatello, Idaho]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Steelers announcers]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Idaho]]
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]