Who is Sarah Thomas? NFL referee named as first-ever woman Down Judge at Super Bowl LIV

NFL referee Sarah Thomas is all set to make history next month after she was announced as one of the members of the officiating team for the Super Bowl. The 47-year-old thus becomes the first female to officiate in a Super Bowl game and will serve as a down judge on referee Carl Cheffers' crew. Thomas was the first female referee in the NFL, starting her officiating career in 2015. Here's a look at 'Who is Sarah Thomas?' and her officiating career. 

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Sarah Thomas football referee: NFL to have first female official at the Super Bowl 

The NFL on Wednesday announced that Sarah Thomas will become the first female to officiate in the Super Bowl and will do so next month. The 47-year-old will cap her sixth NFL season and has worked on a total of four postseason games in six seasons with the league. The Sarah Thomas Super Bowl debut will come under referee Carl Cheffers will lead the seven-person crew of on-field game officials for the Super Bowl in February at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

Cheffers has been a game official for 21 seasons in the NFL and was promoted to referee in 2008. He has worked 17 playoffs games, including the Super Bowl in 2017.

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Speaking of the decision, Troy Vincent Sr, the NFL’s executive vice resident of football operations said that Sarah Thomas has made history again and her elite performance and commitment to excellence has earned her the right to officiate the Super Bowl. He added that it was a well-deserved honour for the 47-year-old, who is no stranger to breaking gender barriers. Thomas was the first woman to officiate a game in Mississippi’s top high school division, the first to referee a major college football game after joining Conference USA’s full-time staff in 2007 and also the first to officiate a bowl game when she worked Marshall’s win over Ohio in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl in 2009. 

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She was hired NFL’s first permanent female official in 2015, after having spent time in the New Orleans Saints’ and Indianapolis Colts’ training camps and officiated a 2013 pre-season game between the Saints and Oakland Raiders. The NFL gathers its Super Bowl officiating crew based on eligibility -- a minimum of five years of experience is required -- as well as in-season performance. Along with Thomas, umpire Fred Bryan, line judge Rusty Baynes, side judge Eugene Hall and back judge Dino Paganelli are all part of the crew and have worked at least one Super Bowl. Field judge James Coleman will round out the crew.

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(Image Courtesy: NFL Twitter)