On March 5th, the National Football League announced that former XFL referee Maia Chaka will be a part of the league’s roster of gameday officials in 2021.
Chaka said it was an honor to be selected.
“This moment is bigger than a personal accomplishment. It is an accomplishment for all women, my community, and my culture.”
In addition to work in the XFL, Chaka’s officiating resume includes stints in the Pac-12 Conference and Conference USA.
During an appearance on NFL Network’s flagship morning show Good Morning Football, Chaka gave advice to young women looking to have a similar career path to herself.
“It’s obvious we’re women. We don’t have to constantly address it. The more that you address it the more it will make people uncomfortable. Just put that behind you and continue to work. Nothing is bigger than the game.”
News of Chaka’s promotion to the NFL ranks comes just in time for International Women’s Day as the NFL made it a large part of their programming on March 8th.
