NFL Team Becomes the First To Hire 2 Female Coaches
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have hired Maral Javadifar and Lori Locust as assistant coaches, becoming the first NFL team with two female coaches on their staff.
Locust and Javadifar are also the first full-time female coaches in franchise history.
Locust will be an assistant defensive line coach and Javadifar an assistant strength and conditioning coach.
“I know how hard it can be to get that first opportunity to coach at the highest level of professional football,” Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians said in a statement.
We’ve added Maral Javadifar and Lori Locust as full-time assistant coaches.
The Buccaneers are now the first NFL team with two female coaches on staff.
? » https://t.co/mVkzSWa96N pic.twitter.com/QOUSyxPKbP
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) March 20, 2019
“Sometimes, all you need is the right organization to offer up the opportunity,” Arians said.
“The Glazer family and our general manager, Jason Licht, were extremely supportive of my decision, and I know Maral and Lori will be great additions to my coaching staff,” he said.
Locust joins the Bucs after working as the defensive line coach for the Birmingham Iron of the Alliance of American Football.
Last year, she served as a defensive coaching intern for the Baltimore Ravens during the team’s training camp.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers just became the first NFL team to have two women coaches.
Maral Javadifar will serve as assistant strength and conditioning coach and Lori Locust will be the assistant defensive line coach. https://t.co/KaLxeMyDuN pic.twitter.com/1qJyQqtS1s
— CNN (@CNN) March 21, 2019
Javadifar has most recently worked as a physical therapist in Seattle.
A native of Queens, Javadifar played basketball at Pace University in New York.
The Bucs’ announcement drew mixed reviews.
We’re going 0-16
— ? (@Yikeszn) March 20, 2019
Congratulations!! Go Bucs! Love that Bruce Arians don’t care, he’s got guts..love it
— Jason Millwood (@jabuc) March 21, 2019
Tampa trying to get that gender quota in. ?♂️
— buddy?️ (@buch21b) March 21, 2019
Very cool that the @Buccaneers have hired not one but two female coaches to be on staff. Just another thing I can point out to my daughter when I say she can be anything you want!!! #NFL
— Brett Smith (@RFFAFH75) March 21, 2019
?? lots of coaches out there working day and night to be noticed….but let’s promote women so we can be equal in a all male sport….hmmm like that NFL is opened to the idea but get the best of the best of for the job. Not a headline.
— Jessie (@salazarallday) March 21, 2019
Arians was hired in January to replace Dirk Koetter, who was fired after the Buccaneers finished 5-11 last season.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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