A Woman Will Officiate an NFL Playoff Game For the 1st Time This Sunday

This weekend, Sarah Thomas will become the first woman to officiate an NFL playoff game.  
She's on the crew that's working  Sunday's divisional game between the L.A. Chargers and the New England Patriots.

Of course, Sarah isn't new.  The NFL hired her back in 2015.  She was the league's first full-time female official, and before that she was the first woman to officiate a major college football game.


Sarah is the 'Down Judge,' which is just under the Head Referee and Umpire. Down judges manage the chains, set the line of scrimmage, mark the spot where the  play ends, and make line-of-scrimmage calls like false starts and offsides.

 

 Sarah was promoted to Down Judge last season.  She previously served as a 'Line Judge.'


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