First Female NFL Ref Gives Talk

Thomas (James Gilbert/Getty Images)

After making history last month as the first woman to officiate a Super Bowl, Sarah Thomas will give a virtual presentation through Northern Michigan University's Platform Personalities titled “Breaking Through: A Journey to Becoming the First Female NFL Official.” Her talk is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 23, and can be viewed by the public via Zoom. 

After having been kicked out of a men's basketball church league because she was a "girl," Thomas shifted the trajectory of her life and set her sights on the Super Bowl, according to a CNN article.

Thomas is considered a game-changer in the male-dominated sport of football. She was the first woman to officiate a major college football game, the first to officiate a bowl game and the first to officiate in a Big Ten stadium. She was hired in 2015 as the first full-time female official in NFL history, later becoming the first woman to serve in that capacity in a Super Bowl, when Tampa Bay defeated Kansas City on Feb. 7.

The event is free and accessible via Zoom. Register for the event on the Hub here. Learn more by visiting the Facebook event here.  

Platform Personalities is a student organization dedicated to bringing educational, motivational and inspirational speakers to NMU's campus. 

Prepared By

Jill Vermeulen
Student Writer
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Categories: Around NMU