Shannon Eastin

Shannon Eastin (born 1970)[1] is the first female official of the National Football League (NFL). She was hired as a replacement official in 2012 during the lockout of full-time referees which began in June. She officiated her first game on August 9, a preseason game between the Green Bay Packers and the San Diego Chargers as the Line Judge.[2] She officiated her first regular season game on September 9, between the Detroit Lions and St. Louis Rams.[3] She has spent 16 combined seasons officiating for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, high school games, and for the Arizona Cardinals Red and White game.[4] She officiated the season opener between the St. Louis Rams and the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on September 9, 2012, in Detroit, Michigan.[5]Although several NFL players expressed support for Eastin being the first female NFL official, several writers such as Darin Gantt of Profootballtalk.com and Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times lamented that she broke this gender barrier while being a strikebreaker.[6][7] The NFL Referees Association also stated that Eastin shouldn't be allowed to officiate NFL games due to her participation in the World Series of Poker.[8] Roger Goodell, the NFL commissioner said about Eastin that “she’s well prepared for it, and I think she’ll do terrific.”[9] Forbes magazine states that Eastin be hired as an NFL replacement official only puts a “...crack in the glass ceiling of NFL officiating, and she did so only as a temporary labor scab until the male officials later return.”[10] NFL players have shown concern for female referees. Stating that they would like female officials to be line judges rather than on field because they don’t want her to get hurt.[10] “Women are more honest and fair than men and they know how to catch a man cheating," Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Larry Foote told The Associated Press. “I hope she’s just a line judge. Don't want her to get hurt.” [5]

Shannon Eastin
Born1970 (age 49–50)
Worcester, Massachusetts
NationalityUnited States of America
Known forFirst female NFL official

Eastin is also active in judo. At age 11, she was the youngest judo athlete to train in the U.S Olympic Training Center. She has won six national judo championships.[4] Eastin owns a company called SE Sports Officiating, which trains officials in football and basketball.[8] Shannon Eastin currently lives in Tempe, Arizona.[10]

See also

References
  1. "Shannon Eastin, First NFL Female Official, Not Intimidated". Huffingtonpost.com. August 7, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  2. Wilson, Ryan (August 6, 2012). "Shannon Eastin will be first woman to work NFL officiating crew". CBS Sports. Archived from the original on April 13, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  3. "Report: Female Official Scheduled to Work Lions' Opener vs. Rams". Bleacher Report. September 3, 2012. Archived from the original on September 9, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  4. "Not just for the boys: Shannon Eastin to become first woman to be an NFL referee | Mail Online". London: Dailymail.co.uk. August 7, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  5. "Shannon Eastin makes NFL history as first female referee". September 9, 2012.
  6. "NFL's replacement officials would include first female ref". ProFootballTalk. July 22, 2012. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
  7. "Football referee Shannon Eastin a pioneer, but also a pawn". Los Angeles Times. August 8, 2012. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
  8. Associated Press (June 15, 2013). "NFL could have permanent female official by 2014". National Football League. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  9. "NFL Commissioner says more female refs possible". San Antonio Express-News. August 8, 2012.
  10. "Shannon Eastin To Become First NFL Referee With An Asterisk".


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