First female referee to call NFL game

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NEW YORK, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- The first female referee to appear in an NFL game will make her debut this week in an exhibition contest, the league confirmed Monday.

The Los Angeles Times reported referee Shannon Eastin will be part of the replacement crew officiating Thursday's game in which the Green Bay Packers will visit San Diego.

The NFL later confirmed the story, NFL.com reported.

Eastin will take to the field as the NFL's regular referees are locked out as part of a collective bargaining dispute. Replacements called the Hall of Fame Game Sunday at Canton, Ohio -- the league's pre-season kick-off.

Little progress has been made during the standoff in contract negotiations, the Web site reported.