NFL hires Maia Chaka as league's first Black woman on-field official
The NFL has hired Maia Chaka as a game official for the 2021 season, making her the first Black woman to join the league's on-field officiating staff.
Chaka will join Sarah Thomas as the only women to officiate an NFL game. Thomas was hired in 2015 and was part of the crew that worked Super Bowl LV last month. The NFL announced Chaka's hiring Friday morning during a segment on The Today Show.
In a statement released by the league, Chaka said: "I am honored to be selected as an NFL official. But this moment is bigger than a personal accomplishment. It is an accomplishment for all women, my community, and my culture."
The NFL annually updates its roster of officials due to retirements, departures and position changes of its existing group. Replacements are typically culled from the league's officiating development program, which is made up of officials from various levels who have been identified for potential promotion. Chaka joined the program in 2014.
MORE: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/31010341/nfl-hires-maia-chaka-league-first-black-woman-field-official
