A spectacular first season for head coach Liam Coen, which saw the Jacksonville Jaguars win the division title, was going to see him try to defend home field against the Buffalo Bills in a critical Wild Card round matchup.
In one of the most anticipated games of the entire weekend, the stakes were as high as they could get for both teams. But early in the first quarter, fans caught sight of a female referee directing proceedings in the game. A rare instance in the NFL, it left them wondering about her presence. Here’s everything you need to know about the official Sarah Thomas.
Who Is Sara Thomas in Jaguars vs. Bills?
A true trailblazer in her industry, Thomas was the first female referee to be signed by the NFL on a permanent basis, beginning her career in 2015 as a full-time official. Currently, she holds the down judge position for referee Brad Allen’s crew.
But her experience has earned her some other prominent spots over the last decade, including Super Bowl 55. A relatively minimalist crew that tends to avoid throwing a ton of flags and penalties in games, they averaged just 10.2 penalties during the regular season, which is below the league average.
The full list of officials for the game includes:
- Referee: Brad Allen
- Umpire: Mike Morton
- Down Judge: Sarah Thomas
- Line Judge: Walter Flowers
- Field Judge: Dyrol Prioleau
- Side Judge: James Coleman
- Back Judge: Greg Wilson
Shifting focus back to Thomas, her football officiating career began as a high school varsity referee back in 1999, before an officials camp in 2006 hosted by Gerry Austin changed her career completely.
Next year, Thomas broke new ground by becoming the first woman to officiate a major college football game, overseeing a matchup between Memphis and Jacksonville State. Before the decade was up, she was one of only five women officiating collegiate games and the first to officiate a bowl game.
Thomas took her first significant step into the professional ranks in 2010, officiating several United Football League games, including the league’s championship. Finally, when she got her NFL call in 2015, she got undiluted support from veteran head coach Sean Payton, who had seen her gain experience working offseason practices and scrimmages.
“She’s ready,” he told ESPN in 2015. “She’s gonna do well. We’ve watched her grow, and she’s gonna be outstanding. She’s got the right demeanor; she’s sharp.”
Thomas is also the woman credited with changing the designation “head linesman” to “down judge” to showcase more gender-neutral terminology.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.
