Arizona Cardinals Hire First Female Coach in NFL History

The Arizona Cardinals have made history by hiring the first ever female coach. The team announced Monday that Jen Welter has been added as a coaching intern for linebackers during training camp and preseason, making her the first woman to hold any kind of coaching position in the NFL.

"Coaching is nothing more than teaching," Cardinals Coach Bruce Arians said. "One thing I have learned from players is, 'How are you going to make me better? I don't care if you're the Green Hornet, man, I'll listen.' I really believe she'll have a great opportunity with this internship through training camp to open some doors for her."

Before joining the Cardinals staff, Welter was an assistant coach for the Indoor Football League's Texas Revolution. She mainly worked with linebackers.

Arians explained that he met Welter at an OTA and saw what she could potentially do for the team.

"I thought she was the type of person that could handle this in a very positive way for women and open the door," Arians said. "It's not going to be a distraction in any way."

Back in March, Arians had said at the owners meeting that he would hire a female coach if she can improve his players.

"The minute they can prove they can make a player better, they'll be hired," Arians said.

Welter has an athletic background. She played rugby in college and then 14 seasons of pro football, mainly in the Women's Football Alliance. She was the first woman to hold a non-kicking position while playing in the men's pro football league (Texas Revolution in 2014). Welter also has two gold medals from when she played for Team USA in the International Federation of American Football Women's World Championships (2010, 2013).

Aside from her skills in the sport, Welter has a master's degree in sport psychology and a PhD in psychology.

The NFL hired its first ever female on-field official earlier this year.