NFL Hires 1st Woman Ref For Regular Season Games

For the first time in the history of the NFL, a woman will be working regular season games beginning this fall.
Sarah Thomas has the honor being the first woman official. Thomas joined the NFL’s development program for officials in 2013.

“Being raised with brothers I’m just one of the guys, I guess,” she said. “I don’t try to be one of the guys. I am a female, but I don’t look at myself as just a female. I look at myself as an official. With their respect and the respect that I have for them, it just doesn’t feel like it’s a male-dominated profession.”

Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times reported that the NFL won’t confirm Thomas’ hiring but that “the league has informed current officials that seven men and one woman have been selected as new hires for this season, contingent on them taking physical examinations.”