Sarah Thomas will no longer be the only female official in the NFL.
According to Alex Marvez of the Sporting News, the league will hire Terri Valenti as a instant replay booth assistant next season, making her the first woman in that role.
Thomas (pictured) entered the league in 2015 and worked as a line judge on Jeff Triplette’s crew.
Valenti officiated in the UFL and the Arena League and has also called at the major college level. She has also worked as a Navy engineer and economics professor.
While the job may not attract as much notice as an on-field position, it’s another positive step for the league, for a profession that can use all the qualified eyes it can find.