How Many Female Referees Are In The NFL?

There are currently only seven female referees in the NFL. Here’s a look at how they’re making an impact on the league.

The current state of NFL referees

The National Football League has been coming under fire in recent years for a perceived lack of diversity among its officiating crews. As of the 2019 season, there are only 21 female referees out of a total of 124, comprising just 16.9% of the officiating force. This low number is even more stark when considering that women make up almost half (49.6%) of the NFL’s total fan base. Let’s take a closer look at the current state of NFL referees.

How many female referees are in the NFL?

In 2019, the NFL made history by hiring its first full-time female referee, Sarah Thomas. Prior to that, Thomas had been a part-time official for the NFL since 2015, making her the first woman to officiate an NFL playoff game in 2016.

While Thomas is currently the only full-time female referee in the NFL, she is not the only woman officiating games. There are currently a total of 21 women who are part of the NFL’s Officiating Development Program. This program is designed to train officials for eventual NFL employment.

The overall numbers are still low when compared to the total number of officials in the NFL. There are currently 121 officials in the league, meaning that women make up just 17% of all officials. However, this number has been steadily rising in recent years and it is likely that we will see even more female referees in the future.

What is the NFL’s stance on female referees?

The National Football League (NFL) has never had a female game official, but that could change in the near future. In 2013, the NFL hired its first full-time female referee, Shannon Eastin. She worked as a line judge in preseason games and made history as the first woman to officiate an NFL game.

While Eastin was a trailblazer, she is not currently an NFL referee. Currently, there are no female referees in the NFL. However, that could change in the future. The NFL has been proactive in hiring women for other positions, such as Sarah Thomas, who became the league’s first full-time female official in 2015.

The current state of affairs is that there are no female referees in the NFL. However, given the league’s history of hiring women for other positions, it is possible that this could change in the future.

The history of female referees in the NFL

In the early 1920s, women began to enter into previously male-dominated occupations in the United States. One such occupation was that of a professional football referee. A few women became NFL referees in the league’s earliest years. However, it wasn’t until the late 1960s that a woman referee officiated a regular season game.

The first female referee in the NFL

In 1986, Shannon Eastin was working as a substitute teacher in California when she decided to pursue her childhood dream of becoming a professional football referee. After attending a training camp for aspiring officials, she spent the next 16 years working her way up through the ranks of small college and semi-professional leagues. In 2002, she made history as the first woman to officiate a Division I college football game.

Then, in 2012, Eastin made headlines again when she became the first woman to officiate an NFL game. She was one of 21 officials hired by the league that year as part-time replacements for referees who were locked out in a contract dispute. Eastin worked three preseason games and one regular season game before the lockout ended and the regular referees returned.

Despite her historic achievement, Eastin is not currently employed by the NFL. She is back refereeing in small college and semi-professional leagues, waiting for another chance to make history on the gridiron.

The number of female referees in the NFL over time

The number of female referees in the NFL has increased steadily over the years. In 2020, there are 21 female referees, up from just 4 in 2006. This increase can be attributed to a number of factors, including the NFL’s efforts to diversify its officiating staff and the growing popularity of football among women.

The future of female referees in the NFL

There has been a recent push to have more female referees in the NFL. Some argue that it is long overdue, while others feel that the NFL is a man’s game and that there is no place for women.Regardless of where you stand on the issue, it’s important to understand the facts. In this article, we’ll take a look at the current state of female referees in the NFL.

The NFL’s plans to increase the number of female referees

The National Football League (NFL) has announced plans to increase the number of female referees in the league. Currently, there are only four female referees in the NFL, but the league plans to add six more referees for the 2019 season. According to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, the goal is to eventually have one-third of all NFL referees be women.

The NFL has been working to increase diversity among its officials for several years. In 2017, the league hired Sarah Thomas as its first full-time female referee. Thomas made history again in 2018 when she became the first woman to officiate an NFL playoff game.

The league has also been criticized for its lack of diversity among its head coaches and general managers. Currently, there are only three black head coaches and no Hispanic head coaches in the NFL. There are also no female head coaches or general managers in the NFL.

The potential impact of more female referees in the NFL

The NFL has been gradually increasing the number of female officials at all levels of the game, from high school to the professional ranks. There are presently three full-time female officials in the NFL: Sarah Thomas, Maia Chaka, and Dale Shaw. The league also has several part-time female officials.

The impact of more female referees in the NFL could be significant. For one thing, it would help to address the issue of gender inequality in the sport. At present, there are far fewer female officials than male officials at all levels of football.

In addition, more female referees could help to improve the quality of officiating overall. Female officials tend to be just as competent as their male counterparts, and they often have better people skills. This combination of factors could lead to better communication between officials and players, and fewer on-field arguments and controversies.

Ultimately, whether or not the NFL increases the number of female referees will come down to a question of whether or not the league feels that it is worth sacrificing some traditional ideas about football in order to create a more level playing field for everyone involved in the sport.