Photo: Jen Welter/Facebook
The Arizona Cardinals have made history by hiring the NFL’s first female to hold a coaching position.
The Cardinals have hired 37-year old Jen Welter to coach the inside linebackers through training camp and the preseason.
“I wanted to open that door,” Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said. “Coaching is nothing more than teaching. The one thing I’ve learned from players: all they want to know is ‘How you going to make me better? If you can make me better, I don’t [care] if you’re the Green Hornet. I’ll listen.’ (Arizona Republic)
This comes during the same year that the NFL decided to hire Sarah Thomas as the league’s first full-time female official.
So who is Jen Welter?
- Welter is a veteran of several semi-pro women’s football teams, and helped the Dallas Diamonds win four championships.
- The 5’2″ running back last played for the Texas Revolution in 2014. She was the first female to play a non-kicking position in a men’s league at the professional level.
- She was hired to work under Revolution GM and former NFL player Tim Brown in 2015 as the linebackers and special teams coach.
- She went to Boston College, where she played rugby. She hails from Vero Beach, Florida.
- She holds a master’s degree in sports psychology and a PhD in psychology.
To be a fly on the wall if Welter and Becky Hammon ever get together for a mid-season dinner.
