Maia Chaka becomes first African American woman officiating NFL Games

Seattle- Maia Chaka breaks NFL history with becoming the first African American woman to officiate NFL games.

Change is coming into the NFL with diversifying gender roles. On Friday, Chaka was shocked that the NFL chose her to be an NFL official this season and was very emotional when it finally hit her.

"It didn't really hit me until just now when I saw the introduction," Chaka, who has been working Pac-12 Conference games, told "TODAY." "I'm like, this is really real. This is something that we're always taught to work hard for and sometimes we just don't take time to stop and smell our own roses. I've just been grinding for so long in this. It's an honor to be able to join the National Football League."

Chaka started her journey in 2006 officiating high school games and worked her way into the Pac-12. The road to her success was long and hard, but she did not give up on her dream. Today, she joins her good friend Sarah Thomas, as the only two women officiating games in the NFL.