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Sarah Thomas becomes first-ever woman to referee Super Bowl

Chiefs Buccaneers Super Bowl Football
Posted at 9:44 AM, Feb 08, 2021
and last updated 2021-02-08 12:46:41-05

On Sunday, Sarah Thomas made history by becoming the first-ever woman to referee a Super Bowl.

In a statement to CBS, NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent, Sr. said that Thomas's "elite performance and commitment to excellence" earned her a spot "to officiate the Super Bowl."

Thomas, along with six other officiating crew members, collectively had 88 years of NFL officiating experience and 77 different playoff assignments, according to Deadline.

Thomas, who broke into the NFL in 2015, served as the down judge, a position she's held since 2017, CBS Sports reported.

According to Deadline, Thomas made history two years ago when she was a referee during a playoff game, making her the first-ever woman to do so.