Shannon Eastin

Shannon Eastin (born 1970)[1] is a former NFL official; she was the first female official of the National Football League (NFL). 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.

Shannon Eastin
Born1970 (age 52–53)
Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Known forFirst female NFL official

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] Eastin's first regular season game came on September 9 between the Detroit Lions and St. Louis Rams.[3] 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.[4][5] The NFL Referees Association also stated that Eastin should not have been allowed to officiate NFL games due to her participation in the World Series of Poker.[6] NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said about Eastin that "she's well prepared for it, and I think she'll do terrific."[7] Forbes magazine stated that Eastin being hired as an NFL replacement official only put 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."[8] Some players like Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Larry Foote expressed concern about her on-field role, with Foote explaining to the Associated Press, "Women are more honest and fair than men and they know how to catch a man cheating. I hope she's just a line judge. Don't want her to get hurt."[9]

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. Eastin owns a company called SE Sports Officiating, which trains officials in football and basketball.[6] She currently lives in Tempe, Arizona.[8]

See also

References
  1. "Shannon Eastin, First NFL Female Official, Not Intimidated". The Huffington Post. 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. "NFL's replacement officials would include first female ref". ProFootballTalk. July 22, 2012. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
  5. "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.
  6. Associated Press (June 15, 2013). "NFL could have permanent female official by 2014". National Football League. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  7. "NFL Commissioner says more female refs possible". San Antonio Express-News. August 8, 2012.
  8. "Shannon Eastin To Become First NFL Referee With An Asterisk". Forbes. August 9, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  9. "Shannon Eastin makes NFL history as first female referee". The World. September 9, 2012.
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