ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Things are changing in the world of pro sports, especially football, and women are finally getting the opportunity to make a name for themselves in the NFL.
This season, in particular, six of the eight female coaches currently within the league were on the sidelines for playoff teams for the first time in NFL history.
CBS This Morning sat down with Coach Jennifer King, who became the first Black woman with a full-time NFL coaching job. The Washington Football Team promoted King to assistant running backs coach.
"I don't think people quite understand like the psyche of the pro athletes. They don't care. They just wanna be better-- and extend their careers. And if you can help them do that, that’s all that matters," King told CBS This Morning.
King, 36, was a coaching intern with the team this past season and previously served as an intern with the Carolina Panthers and as an offensive assistant at Dartmouth College, according to the New York Times.
This Sunday, Sarah Thomas will become the first-ever woman to officiate at a Super Bowl. Also making history, two female coaches for the Buccaneers will be on the field for the big game versus the Chiefs.
Maral Javadifar entered her second season with the Bucs in 2020, where she serves as assistant strength and conditioning coach.
Javadifar completed her sports physical therapy residency at Virginia Commonwealth University and played college basketball at Pace University in New York.
Assistant Defensive Line Coach Lori Locust also entered her second season with the Bucs in 2020.
She joined the team after working as the assistant defensive line coach for the Birmingham Iron of the Alliance of American Football during the league's inaugural season.
Locust began her coaching career following four years as a player in women's semi-professional football.
Read more about Maral Javadifar here.
Read more about Lori Locust here.
And don't forget you can watch Super Bowl LV on 10 Tampa Bay Sunday, Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m.
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