Sarah Thomas: First Female to Officiate the Super Bowl

History will be made on February 7th, 2021 as the first female to ever officiate a Super Bowl hits the field. Sarah Thomas will be a down judge during Super Bowl LV which features the Kansas City Chiefs against the Tampa Bay Bucs played in Tampa, Florida.

An inspiration to females everywhere, Thomas’ career in the NFL kicked off in 2015. Thomas has accomplished many achievements throughout her six season career, those being: first woman to officiate a major college football game, first woman to officiate a bowl game, and the first woman to officiate in a Big Ten stadium. However, none of these accomplishments quite match up with the elite honor of being able to officiate a Super Bowl.

In order to be considered for the Super Bowl officiating crew, it is required that officials have worked in the league for at least five seasons and have previously served during the playoffs. On top of that the NFL uses an evaluation system to grade each official’s calls over the season. By being chosen, it signifies that Thomas is at the top of her game and considered one of the best officials in the league. 

Sarah Thomas’ determination and commitment to excellence is making history and impacting women from all walks of life. She has shown women that they can do anything, or do any job, even in a male dominated field.