Every year on the first Sunday of February, millions of Americans gather around their living room televisions in tense anticipation of the largest televised North American sporting event of the year: The Super Bowl. 

The final NFL game in pursuit of the coveted Lombardi Trophy features something for everybody, even those not particularly interested in football itself. There are the well-crafted commercials which companies pay millions of dollars to produce and the Halftime Show concert, which the featured artist spends months in advance preparing for. But this year, there was another eye-popping feature that stood out to viewers. Perhaps somewhere along the sidelines of the game, you happened to spot an official sporting a vibrant blonde ponytail who stood out amongst the rest of her colleagues.

On Sunday, Sarah Thomas made history as the very first female referee to officiate a Super Bowl. Niles North P.W. teacher Mark Egofske took time to congratulate Ms. Thomas saying, “This is awesome news regarding Sarah Thomas!  And about time!  I have three daughters of my own and the fact that Sarah Thomas was the first woman to officiate an NFL game is a huge feat for all women. I am very proud of her accomplishments!”

Meanwhile off the field, on social media sites like Twitter, many celebrities also took to compliment her groundbreaking accomplishment. “I’m cheering you on today Sarah Thomas,” FLOTUS Jill Biden tweeted just two hours before the game. Famous singer Cristina Aguilera did the same, tweeting “More POWER to the #WOOHOO! Congratulations @SarahThomas.”

Thomas’ accomplishment was certainly groundbreaking but Super Bowl LV wasn’t her first time breaking barriers. Thomas was already making history two years ago when she became the first woman to referee a playoff game. Additionally, she is the first full-time female referee in the NFL and the first woman to work a major college football game. 

“I couldn’t say I ever set out to be a football official, but I ended up falling in love with it,” Thomas said in an interview with CBS after Sunday’s game. “I often joke about I hated the officials when I was playing, and they hated me, but as you pursue this career and you fall in love with what you are doing and to be a part of such a strong fraternity and they let a little sister in, and I know there’s going to be some more women following me.”