The NFL and NFL Referees Association have still not come to terms on a deal. But luckily for coaches, players and fans everywhere, there are replacements roaming the sidelines to keep things in order.
After the final whistle blew at Ford Field on Sunday, Rams guard Harvey Dahl and Lions defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh got caught up in a bit of a shoving match. The tussle was quickly contained by teammates and officials, but apparently one referee was keen on keeping the peace.
In the first regular season NFL game ever officiated by a female, line judge Shannon Eastin made sure there wouldn't be any more fighting on her watch.
When Rams cornerback Cortland Finnegan — notorious for enduring a beat down from Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson — and Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch started grabbing and shoving one another after the game, Eastin was quick to break it up.
The only issue for Eastin was that Finnegan and Tulloch, good friends and teammates for five seasons with the Titans, were merely joking around and laughing off how the game ended. Given the game's scrappy conclusion, as well as Finnegan's history of on-field aggression, you can't really blame Eastin for jumping in to ease the situation. Still, it's hard to believe the usual refs would have even flinched at the sight.
Fortunately for Eastin, the fake breakup was the only notable thing she did on the day, as there weren't any glaring errors in the way she officiated — unlike some others.
Take a look at the photo below to see Eastin's attempt to break up the play fight.
Photo via Twitter/@MattSebek
