Sarah Thomas (American football official)

Sarah Thomas
Born
Sarah Bailey

(1973-09-21) September 21, 1973 (age 51)
Pascagoula, Mississippi, U.S.
OccupationNFL official (2015–present)
SpouseBrian Thomas (m. 2000)[1]
Children3

Sarah Thomas (née Bailey; born September 21, 1973)[2][3] is an American football official, currently for the National Football League (NFL).

Thomas was the first woman to officiate a major college football game, the first to officiate a bowl game, and the first to officiate in a Big Ten stadium. On April 8, 2015, Thomas was hired as the first full-time female official in NFL history,[note 1] and for the 2020 NFL season, she was on the officiating crew headed by referee Shawn Hochuli.[4] She wears uniform number 53. In January 2021, she became the first woman to earn an on-field assignment for an NFL playoff game. In February 2021, she became the first woman to officiate in a Super Bowl.

  1. ^ "SPORTS VICTORIES—Sarah Thomas: Believer, Wife, Mom, and NCAA Football Official". mschristianliving.com. February 21, 2014. Archived from the original on August 31, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  2. ^ Stephenson, Creg (May 23, 2014). "NFL: Pascagoula native Sarah Bailey Thomas not among 12 new officials hired for 2014". The Mississippi Press. Archived from the original on November 25, 2015. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  3. ^ Rockwell, Curtis (August 15, 2015). "NFL history was made Saturday night, and Pascagoula's Sarah Thomas was part of it". The Mississippi Press. Archived from the original on August 20, 2015. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  4. ^ Filipe, Cameron (June 3, 2020). "Officiating crews for the 2020 season". Football Zebras. Retrieved January 1, 2021.


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