Just a few shorts months after the NFL announced the hiring of Sarah Thomas, the league's first full-time female official, yet another woman has made groundbreaking headway into the sport of professional football. The Arizona Cardinals announced Monday that 37-year-old psychologist Jen Welter has been given the chance to work as assistant linebackers coach during the Cardinals training camp in Arizona this summer.
"I think it's time," Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians said Monday night, via Peter King of MMQB.com. "I am not afraid to step out and be different. Jen is a quality coach. She has earned this. I think she can help our players get better."
While Welter will operate only as an intern on a six-week assignment under inside linebackers coach Bob Sanders, it's a huge first step for women into a sport that has been male-dominated since the inception of the American Professional Football Association in 1920. Dot Murphy, the assistant althetic director at Hinds Community College in Mississippi, was the first woman to coach in college or pro football when she oversaw the wide receiver position at the school nearly two decades ago.
Welter is looking to build on that legacy.
"So she came to one of our OTAs this spring," Arians said. "I found her really passionate about football. I asked if she was serious about it, and if so, I would love to give you the opportunity to coach with us. She jumped on it. She loves to coach."
Welter hasn't always just wanted to be a coach. She became the first female to play a non-kicking position in a pro game when she appeared at running back for the Texas Revolution, a professional indoor football league team, for one game in 2014. She coached linebackers and special teams for the Revolution this year.
Arians indicated to King his hope that by giving Welter an opportunity, it would push more NFL teams to follow suit. He also said he's not at all concerned with how Cardinals players will react to Welter.
"I don't think the players care, as long as they are being coached to get better," Arians said. "With her background as a player, a coach and a psychologist, I think our players will realize she can help them. She has a ton of energy and intelligence. We're looking forward to having her on the staff."
