Sarah Thomas (American football official) facts for kids

Sarah Thomas (née Bailey; born September 21, 1973) is an American football official for the National Football League (NFL). She made history by becoming the first full-time female official in the NFL.

Sarah Thomas was also the first woman to officiate a major college football game. She was the first to work a bowl game and the first to officiate in a Big Ten stadium. In 2021, she became the first woman to officiate in a Super Bowl, which is the NFL's championship game. She wears uniform number 53.

About Sarah Thomas

Sarah Thomas was born in Pascagoula, Mississippi. She went to Pascagoula High School. There, she played softball and earned five letters, which means she played on the varsity team for five years. She was the first student to do this.

She later attended the University of Mobile on a basketball scholarship. She was an academic All-American, meaning she was great at sports and school. In her three seasons playing basketball, she scored 779 points and had 441 rebounds. This makes her fifth in the school’s history for points.

Before becoming a football referee, Sarah worked as a pharmaceutical representative. She is married to Brian Thomas, and they have three children. The family lives in Brandon, Mississippi.

Starting Her Officiating Journey

Sarah Thomas began her career as a football official in 1996. She joined a group called the Gulf Coast Football Officials Association. By 1999, she was working her first varsity high school game.

Officiating in College Football

In 2006, a man named Gerry Austin invited Sarah to an officials' camp. Austin was a coordinator for Conference USA, a college sports league. He was very impressed with Sarah's skills and hired her for the Conference USA staff.

In 2007, Sarah Thomas made history. She became the first woman to officiate a major college football game. This game was between the Memphis and Jacksonville State teams. Gerry Austin said that two NFL scouts highly recommended her. He also noted her strong presence and courage to make important calls.

First Woman to Officiate a Bowl Game

During the 2009 football season, Sarah Thomas was one of only five female officials in major college football. She was the only one working at the highest level, called the Football Bowl Subdivision. She was given a full schedule of 11 games.

At the end of that season, she was chosen to work the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. This made her the first woman to officiate a bowl game. A player from that game, Martin Ward, said he noticed her before the game. But once the game started, she was just doing her job like any other official. He said it did not matter that she was a woman.

On November 12, 2011, Sarah Thomas became the first woman to officiate in a Big Ten stadium. She worked as a line judge when Northwestern played Rice. Sarah has said that being a woman in football has not caused any challenges. She feels that everyone has been professional and treats her like any other official.

Working in the NFL

In 2013, Sarah Thomas was one of 21 people considered for a permanent NFL officiating job. She worked during practice games for the New Orleans Saints. She also spent time with the Indianapolis Colts team as part of an NFL program to develop new officials.

On April 8, 2015, the NFL announced that Sarah Thomas would become the first permanent female official in its history. Her first regular season NFL game was on September 13, 2015. She worked as a line judge in a game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans.

Overcoming Challenges on the Field

On December 24, 2016, Sarah Thomas broke her wrist during a game between the Vikings and Packers. She was hit on the sideline. After a quick check for a concussion, she returned to the game and finished it, even with a broken wrist. This showed her dedication and toughness.

In 2017, her position changed from "head linesman" to "down judge." This change was made to use a gender-neutral term.

Making Playoff and Super Bowl History

Sarah Thomas is the first woman to work an NFL playoff game on the field. She was part of the crew for the game between the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers on January 13, 2019.

In February 2021, Sarah Thomas was chosen for the Super Bowl LV officiating crew. This made her the first woman to officiate in a Super Bowl. She worked as the down judge in this historic game.

See also

In Spanish: Sarah Thomas (árbitra) para niños