Sarah Thomas Will Be <br />First Woman to Referee <br />NFL Playoff Game Sunday's match between the <br />Patriots and Chargers is already <br />one for the record books. Despite who wins, Thomas will <br />take her place in history when she takes the field as a down judge for the playoff game. Thomas, who is currently officiating <br />her fourth season in the NFL, is no stranger to pushing barriers. She was also the first female to officiate a top-tier college football game in 2007, the first woman to <br />officiate in a Big Ten <br />Stadium in 2011 and the first woman to be hired as a full-time official of the NFL in 2015. The Patriots-Chargers matchup kicks off Sun, Jan. 13 at 1:05 p.m. ET.
