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. She officiated the season opener between the St. Louis Rams and the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on September 9, 2012, in Detroit, Michigan.[4] 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.[5][6] 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.[7] Roger Goodell, the NFL commissioner said about Eastin that “she’s well prepared for it, and I think she’ll do terrific.”[8] 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.”[9] 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.[9] “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.” [4]

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.[7] Shannon Eastin currently lives in Tempe, Arizona.[9]