There were two groundbreaking hires for the NFL earlier this year, first in April when Sarah Thomas was hired to be the league’s first female official, and then in July when Bruce Arians hired Jen Welter to be an assistant with the Cardinals for the preseason. On Saturday night, Arizona took on the Kansas City Chiefs, and it was Thomas’ first time working an NFL game and Welter’s first time on the sidelines.
Before the game, the two shared a moment on the field:
The NFL joins the NBA in its movement to incorporate more women into the league. Last year, the Spurs hired Becky Hammon as the first full-time assistant coach in NBA history. And last month, the Kings did the same by signing up Nancy Lieberman.
Hopefully all of this is a sign of things to come as professional sports continue to progress.
