NFL history will be made on Sunday because of three women. When the Washington Football Team and the Cleveland Browns square off it will mark the first regular-season game in NFL history that will feature female coaches on both sidelines and a female official on the field, according to NFL.com. Jennifer King is a full-year intern with Washington, Callie Brownson is the Brown’s chief of staff and Sarah Thomas is an NFL official.
King made history earlier this year when hired by Washington as she became the first Black female coach in the NFL. She has worked for Washington head coach Ron Rivera when he was with the Carolina Panthers in 2018 and 2019. However, King was only working during the offseasons. She has also spent time at Dartmouth College as an offensive assistant. King also played football as she was a member of the Carolina Phoenix of the Women’s Football Alliance from 2006-2017.
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“Jennifer is a bright young coach and will be a great addition to our staff,” Rivera said in February. “Her familiarity with my expectations as a coach and my firsthand knowledge of her work ethic and preparation were big factors in bringing her to the Redskins.”
Brownson was hired by the Browns earlier this year. She was full-time coaching intern for the Buffalo Bills in 2019. “I’m excited because Coach Stefanski is one of these up-and-coming coaches who has a lot of great ideas,” Brownson said in January. He’s a progressive coach and he loves the game of football. He understands that football is ever-evolving, which is cool to be a part of on a staff like this.” Brownson also said that the job with the Browns is a “phenomenal opportunity” and she is “impressed with everyone in this building.”
Sarah Thomas has been a full-time female official in the NFL since 2015. The 47-year old also spent time in college football as she was the first woman to officiate a major college football game as well as a bowl game. “You want to be known as an official — not as a female official — because that’s going to put you in a separate category,” Thomas said to ESPN in 2015. “We don’t want to do anything that will enhance that. So when a coach looks at you, he just sees an official.”
