A Black Woman Refereed An NFL Game For The First Time Sunday

Image: @Panthers via Twitter

Probably only a few gambing addicts and fantasy football junkies watched Sunday’s low-level NFL matchup between the equally terrible New York Jets and Carolina Panthers. (The Panthers won, 19-14). But it was still a historic game. For the first time in the history of the NFL, a Black woman was a referee for that game.

History is being made in the #NFL today, as Maia Chaka has become the first Black woman to officiate an NFL game.

See it, be it!#JetsvsPanthers

📷: NFL pic.twitter.com/Tu2l71w3zR

— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) September 12, 2021

Meet 38-year-old Maia Chaka, who served as the line judge in yesterday’s Jets-Panthers matchup. You can see some video of her officiating the game below.

Congratulations to Maia Chaka!

She just became the first Black woman to ever officiate an NFL game. And only the third woman! #7news pic.twitter.com/zHRM1boIwy

— Amaka Ubaka (@AmakaUbakaTV) September 13, 2021

“When I step on the field for the first time as an NFL official, it’s gonna be a proud moment,” Chaka said in the video below, recorded before the game. “It’s a proud moment for myself, it’s a proud moment for my family. It’s a proud moment for my community and my students and my co-workers.”

Maia Chaka is making history today.

She will be the first black woman to officiate an NFL game. 👏👏👏

📺: #NYJvsCAR — 1pm ET on CBS
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/EaYYsuEA2J

— NFL (@NFL) September 12, 2021

Chaka has been a Virginia Beach Public Schools physical education teacher for more than ten years, according to the Virginian-Pilot, and has refereed a number of college games before. But she was promoted to full-time NFL official in March, and Sunday was her first regular season game.

Maia Chaka became the first Black woman to officiate an NFL game today. Congrats! #PICKASIDE #RAISEAFIST pic.twitter.com/acgpOR5NTL

— Elizabeth for Humanity (@LizzieBLove) September 13, 2021

She’s only the third woman to ever serve as a referee in an NFL game. Chaka and Sarah Thomas are the two women on the NFL officiating roster this year, though we don’t know where she will be refereeing next week. The NFL announces which officials are assigned to which games on the Thursday before that weekend’s games.