Tampa Bay Becomes First NFL Team With Two Women On Its Coaching Staff Full Time

Bruce Arians was persuaded by his wife to offer full-time positions instead of internships.

Jen Welters made NFL history in 2015 by being the first woman to join a coaching staff. She served as an assistant linebackers coach during a six-week internship for Bruce Arians’ Cardinals squad.

History is made again as Tampa Bay Buccaneers just became the first organization with two women on their full-time coaching staff.

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Maral Javadifar will serve as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Buccaneers.

Meanwhile, Lori Locust will serve as an assistant defensive line coach. Locust is also one of the very first people to make the jump from the AAF to the NFL. She worked as the defensive line coach for the Birmingham Iron, and previously interned with the Baltimore Ravens.

According to the Arizona Republic’s Katherine Fitzgerald, Arians was persuaded by his wife to offer full-time positions instead of internships.

katherine fitzgerald on Twitter In hiring Maral Javadifar as assistant strength & conditioning coach and Lori Locust as asst. d-line coach, the Bucs became the first NFL team with two women as full-time coaches. Got to hear from Bruce Arians this morning on his approach to diversity in hiring:

This is definitely a great move on behalf of the Bucs. Hopefully, more teams can open their doors to more women.