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Jen Welter      

First Female NFL Coach; Chief Marketing Officer with the Arena Football League; Sports Psychologist; Women's Football Champion

Dr. Jen Welter is widely recognized as the first female coach in NFL history, specifically coaching the Arizona Cardinals' inside linebackers during their 2015 training camp. She also holds the distinction of being the first woman to coach a men's professional football team, serving as linebacker and special teams coach for the Indoor Football League's Texas Revolution. Additionally, Welter was the first woman to play running back in a men's professional football season with the same team.

Welter's widely-acclaimed book "Play Big: Lessons in Being Limitless from the First Woman to Coach in the NFL", released in October 2017, provides a detailed account of her challenges and victories in the male-dominated field of sports. Her strong academic background includes a doctorate in psychology and a master’s in sport psychology. Welter has diverse experience in football, having served as a defensive specialist for the Atlanta Legends, a linebackers coach for the Vegas Vipers, and was the head coach of the Australian women's national team in 2017.

Welter has been honored with the Women's Entrepreneurship Day Pioneer Award for her substantial contributions to sports. She was also featured in Mogul's #IAmAMogul campaign for her role in redefining the perception of an NFL coach. Her speaking engagements enrich discussions on themes such as breaking barriers, authentic leadership, achieving the impossible, and the value of diverse teams.

News


First female NFL coach Welter joins Vegas XFL
Dr. Jen Welter, the first female coach in the NFL, has joined the XFL's Las Vegas team as linebackers coach, the league announced Tuesday as it finalized coaching staffs for all eight teams.
Arizona Cardinals Make Jen Welter NFL's First Female Coach
The Arizona Cardinals scheduled a news conference for today where the team was expected to introduce Jen Welter, who has been hired as an assistant coaching intern for training camp and the preseason to work with inside linebackers.

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