Arizona Cardinals praised after adding NFL’s first female coach
The Arizona Cardinals were being hailed as groundbreakers on Tuesday after hiring the National Football League's first female coach.
The Cardinals on Monday hired Jen Welter, a 37-year-old former pro football player, to be a coaching intern during training camp this year, working with inside linebackers.
Football fans took to Twitter to express their sentiments about Welter's hiring.
"#NFLTrainingCamp hasn't even started and the @AZCardinals are already winning," The Dude (@Calicardsfan) said.
Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said the internship would be a great opportunity that could "open some doors" for Welter.
"Coaching is nothing more than teaching," Arians said in a statement after the team announced Welter's hiring on Monday. "One thing I have learned from players is, 'How are you going to make me better? If you can make me better, I don’t care if you’re the Green Hornet, man, I’ll listen.'"
Welter, who has a Ph.D. in psychology, joins the Cardinals' staff after playing for the Texas Revolution of the Indoor Football League. She became the first female non-kicker to play in a men's pro league when she took the field as a running back for the Revolution in 2014.
"Thank you @AZCardinals & @BruceArians & everyone here in #Phoenix," Welter tweeted. "I am honored to join this amazing #footballfamily."
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello responded with a tweet, "Welcome. We are honored too."
Welter won two gold medals playing for Team USA in the International Federation of American Football Women’s World Championship in 2010 and 2013.
"S/O (shout out) to @jwelter47....Welcome to AZ coach," tweeted Cardinals linebacker Kevin Minter.
Last year, the National Basketball Association's San Antonio Spurs made Becky Hammon, a former WNBA All-Star, an assistant head coach of the team. She recently led the Spurs to the NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League title.
"First Becky Hammon became the first full-time female NBA coach. Now @jwelter47 becomes the first female coach in the NFL! Congrats!," football fan Michael Pelfrey (@mcpelfrey) said in a tweet.
