Sarah Thomas is a legendary figure in the history of the National Football League (NFL) as she became the first full-time female official of the league. Sarah Thomas started her career by officiating varsity games and in 2021 she again made history by becoming the first woman to officiate a Super Bowl match. She is also a marketing specialist for many companies and was named in Sports Illustrated’s 100 Most Influential NFL Figures of All Time. A five-part documentary series about her rise up the ranks as an official called ‘Earnin’ It’ premiered on Peacock NBC in 2022. Sarah Thomas has made her place in a male-dominated field and holds a beacon for the future of female officials in the NFL.
Sarah Thomas NFL Referee - Early Life and Background
Sarah was born in Pascagoula, Mississippi with two brothers. She was an avid sports lover and played many sports including softball and basketball. She attended Pascagoula High School and became the first-ever student to letter five times in high school, for softball. Thomas got a full scholarship at the University of Mobile for basketball. She ranked fifth in her college’s history as a basketball player and was named an Academic All American. In her three years collegiate career, Sarah Thomas scored 779 points, 441 rebounds, 192 steals and 108 assists.
How did Sarah Thomas become a referee?
Sarah had two brothers who both played football. She had accompanied her brothers to an officials meeting after college as she was interested in sports and wanted to continue her connection to it. She started her career as a high school referee, officiating pee-wee, varsity and middle school football games. She spent 10 years as a school football referee before becoming the first woman to officiate for NCAA’s major college division in 2007. She was hired by the Conference USA and she went on to officiate bowl games, championship games and even All-Star games. In 2009 she became the first female official for a bowl game. She even went on to officiate United Football League games before being appointed as an official by the National Football League (NFL).
Sarah Thomas referee husband: Who is referee Sarah Thomas married to?
Sarah Thomas is married to Brian Thomas. The couple have three kids together and live in Brandon, Mississippi. Her kids are named Bradly, Baileyand Brady.
Sarah Thomas NFL referee career: How long has Sarah Thomas been an NFL referee?
Sarah Thomas has been an NFL referee since April 8, 2015. She became the first female NFL official after more than 10 years as a football official for high school games and other league games. She was considered for the position of an NFL official for the first time in 2013. She was part of the NFL officiating program and had to wait for two years before being confirmed as a full-time NFL official.
Sarah Thomas’ first match in the NFL was officiating a game between Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans in the NRG Stadium. The NFL changed the position name for head linesman to keep it more gender neutral, after Thoms got promoted to the down judge position (new name for head linesman). She has also officiated Playoff games and went on to officiate a Super Bowl.
Sarah Thomas Super Bowl
Sarah Thomas made history by becoming the first female official to referee a Super Bowl game. She officiated the Super Bowl LV match between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs on February 7, 2021. She officiated the game from the down judge position.
Sarah Thomas received negative comments on her social media for her selection as a Super Bowl official. She however, proved her mettle as an official breaking gender barriers in the game.
Sarah Thomas referee net worth: How much does Sarah Thomas make as an NFL referee?
It is estimated that Sarah Thomas has an approximate net worth of about $ 300,000. She is one of the highest paid officials in the NFL and earns $ 250,000 as an annual salary.
Also Read:
