When Sarah Thomas officiated high school football, people told her that she didn't have a shot reffing for a junior college. But when NFL scout Joe Haynes saw her in action, he had other ideas (via Elle). Haynes talked to the supervisor of Conference USA's officials, Gerry Austin. Austin called Thomas up. "She understood that the rules of the game of football should be applied within the spirit of the game and not within the technical writing of the rules," Austin remembered to ESPN. He hired her to officiate Conference USA's Division 1. By 2015, Thomas became the first female official in NFL history. The NFL scrambled to figure out how to suit her up.
When Elle talked to Thomas in 2017, she told them that she was gunning to officiate a Super Bowl someday. The fact that she's achieved her goal is a testament to her dedication. Thomas studies and re-studies games in her spare time, though she doesn't have a lot of it. In addition to being the mother of three children, Thomas is also a marketing specialist and public speaker (via LinkedIn). She shrugs off the obstacles that have stood in her way. "I was raised with brothers. I played in a men's basketball league. I have never allowed my gender to be a crutch or a reason for people to act a certain way. If they have a feeling towards me, that's their issue. It's not mine," Thomas told Elle.
