Published 17:53 IST, February 9th 2021
Sarah Thomas' son named after Brady, slammed for favouring Bucs during Super Bowl
NFL referee Sarah Thomas was slammed by fans online for favouring the Bucs after netizens found she has a son named after NFL legend Tom Brady.
Sarah Thomas created history on Sunday after becoming the first female NFL referee to officiate the Super Bowl. The 47-year-old was picked as one of the officials for Super Bowl LV, serving as the down judge in referee Carl Cheffers' crew. Thomas was the first female referee in the NFL, starting her officiating career in 2015.
Sarah Thomas' son is named after NFL legend Tom Brady, slammed for Super Bowl officiating
The Chiefs vs Bucs Super Bowl saw some questionable officiating and Sarah Thomas faced some heat by netizens online. On a number of occasions, the home side received favourable calls much to the irritation of Chiefs fans online. After some digging, eagle-eyed netizens found out that the 47-year-old has a child named Brady. Sarah Thomas has been married to Brian Thomas since 2000, with whom she has three kids. The pair has two sons, Bridley, 17, and Brady, 14, along with a daughter, Bailey, 5. Brady Thomas was born in 2003, the year when Tom Brady and the New England Patriots lifted their second Super Bowl title. Fans called her out on social media, alleging skulduggery and favouritism on her part.
Sarah Thomas was the first woman to officiate a game in Mississippi’s top high school division and the first woman to referee a major college football game after joining Conference USA’s full-time staff in 2007. She was also the first woman to officiate a bowl game when she worked Marshall’s win over Ohio in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl in 2009. The 47-year-old was hired as NFL’s first permanent female official in 2015, after having spent time in the New Orleans Saints’ and the Indianapolis Colts’ training camps and officiating a 2013 pre-season game between the Saints and the Oakland Raiders.
The current season was her sixth in the NFL, making her eligible to feature in the Super Bowl, with NFL selecting the crew based on eligibility — a minimum of five years of experience is required, while the in-season performance is also reviewed. Sarah Thomas has been an inspiration to many, and her journey should be savoured rather than criticised. The 47-year-old had said that being the first to referee the Super Bowl wasn't her aim, but that she was happy if her story could positively impact someone. She had said that she loves having the title especially because of what it means to others and her daughter.
(Image Courtesy: AP)
Updated 17:53 IST, February 9th 2021