By: Taylor Cromwell
Sarah Thomas made history this weekend when she becomes the first woman to officiate an NFL Playoff game.
She served as one of seven official referees on the field, Thomas was the down judge for the game between Los Angeles Chargers and the New England Patriots on Sunday.
“This is a big deal,” said Sam Rapoport, the senior director of football development at the NFL who has also advocated for more opportunities for women in football.
Not only is Thomas’s presence on the gridiron notable. The title of her position was recently changed from “head linesman” to “down judge” by Senior VP of NFL Officiating Al Riveron to be more inclusive.
