It's the first such labor meltdown since 2001, when a contract dispute led to the officials missing the last exhibition game and first regular-season game. Eastin will work Thursday’s game between the Green Bay Packers and San Diego Chargers, marking the first time a woman will be part of an officiating crew, the Los Angeles Times’ Sam Farmer reports. Eastin, who's from Arizona, has been a referee for several high school and small-college conferences.
– With NFL referees locked out since June amid a collective-bargaining dispute, a new batch of officials will be calling the shots in upcoming games—and for the first time, one of them is a woman. Shannon Eastin, who has refereed small-college and high school games, will officiate at a Green Bay Packers vs. San Diego Chargers exhibition game on Thursday, the Los Angeles Times reports. But the replacement refs have had a shaky start: In last night's Hall of Fame game, an official had to correct himself after announcing the wrong coin toss outcome, the Washington Post notes.