Washington Redskins set to hire first African American woman full-time assistant coach in NFL history
ASHBURN, Virgina -- Former Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera is on the verge of a breakthrough while compiling his new staff with the Washington Redskins.
ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter reports Jennifer King is on the verge of joining Rivera's staff, making her the league's first full-time African American female assistant coach.
King would be an offensive assistant coach under Rivera, who she's worked for previously. King coached wide receivers as an intern with the Panthers the previous two summers. She was an offensive assistant coach with Dartmouth and played with the New York Sharks in the Women's Football Alliance. There was also a pit stop in the now-defucnt AAF as an assistant with the Arizona Hotshots.
"The biggest thing I learned from Jennifer is there is a whole untapped source for coaching," Rivera told reporters at the 2019 Women's Careers in Football Forum. "She's a unique individual. She's coached women's college basketball and won a national championship. She's played football. She loves the game...here's a person who really wants to put herself out there and create that opportunity."
King's move up is part of the handful of women breaking into NFL coaching circles in recent years. Earlier this month, Katie Sowers became the first woman coach to reach the Super Bowl in her role with the San Francisco 49ers. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers carry assistant defensive line coach Lori Locust and assistant strength and conditioning coach Maral Javadifar.
Also this month, the Cleveland Browns hired Callie Brownson as new head coach Kevin Stefanski's chief of staff.
In 2019, referee Sarah Thomas became the first woman to officiate an NFL playoff game in an AFC divisional round clash between the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers.
