The NFL Just Hired Its First Female Football Coach Ever

Who knew that Arizona would be the first state in National Football League history to see a female coach? We certainly wouldn't have predicted it, but it's time to break out the champagne (or the Gatorade) all the same. Jen Welter will join the Arizona Cardinals as a training-camp and preseason intern coaching inside linebackers for the upcoming season. A former college rugby player who, according to her personal website, holds a Ph.D. in psychology as well as a master's degree in sports psychology, Welter became the first female to play a non-kicking position in the men's professional Indoor Football League. Welter shared her excitement with friends, family, and fans via her own Facebook page. "I'm honored to be part of the #BIRDGANG!" she wrote on Monday. "Love the #footballfamily here with the #ArizonaCardinals #NFL." She's not the only woman to make inroads into the NFL this season, either: Sarah Walter joins her as the first-ever full-time female official. The Bleacher Report's Mike Freedman reached out via text message to unnamed players on Welter's new team: "The truth is, [Welter] has more playing experience than some of the coaches who coach me now," said one. Another pointed out that it he doesn't "care if she has breasts or a penis. Just as long as she can coach. That's all that matters." We couldn't have put it better ourselves.