Jennifer King to Become First Full-Time Female African-American Assistant Coach in NFL History

In a sports industry that is predominantly male -- and predominantly coached by white men -- we are beginning to see women break through and claim positions previously thought to be unattainable, particularly women of color. And on Saturday, the Washington Redskins are set to make some history by hiring Jennifer King, the first black woman to be a full-time assistant coach in the NFL.

According to Rhiannon Walker of The Athletic, Ron Rivera and the Redskins intend to hire King to a currently unspecified role.

In 2017, King met with Rivera at the Pro Bowl and he made her a coaching intern for the following minicamp and preseason while he coached the Carolina Panthers.

She also became one of three female assistant coaches in the now-defunct American Alliance of Football, where she served as assistant wide receivers coach for the Arizona Hotshots. King then coached in college as an offensive assistant for Dartmouth College for their 2019 campaign.

Now, King will return for a gig in the National Football League -- and she'll do it as a trail-blazer. One day, that an African-American woman is hired to a football coaching staff won't be considered such uncommon news; when that day does come, we can look back and thank people like Jennifer King for opening the door.