**Update: Shannon continues her historic journey – works her first regular season game.
It will be history in the making Thursday night as for the first time in NFL history, a woman will officiate the contest between the San Diego Chargers and the Green Bay Packers.
All eyes will certainly be on Shannon Eastin, who has officiated games for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, when she works the sidelines for the preseason opener.
When asked about the impact of a female official, the Chargers spoke glowingly about what it means for both the sport and the advancement of gender equality.
“It’s historic,” said head coach Norv Turner during his daily press conference following Monday’s practice. “I’m excited about it. It’s going to be different, but the league has done a great job getting the refs ready.”
“I think it is massive,” said Nick Hardwick. “I think it’s a massive step in the right direction. This is what this country has been about for a long time, and this is certainly a step in the right direction. As a player it doesn’t matter at all if the official is male or female. As long as they make the right calls, that’s all that matters.”
Source – First Female Official to Work Thursday Night’s Game
