March 15th, 2021

In 2021, Jennifer King was hired to serve as a coach for the Washington Football Team, making her the first Black woman assistant coach in the National Football League’s 101-year history.

King was born in North Carolina, and attended Guilford College, where she played college basketball and softball. Following graduation, she played in the Women’s Football Alliance as quarterback, wide receiver, defensive back and safety during her career.

She was eventually hired as an intern for the Washington Football Team in 2020 after expressing her interest in working with the NFL. Ultimately, she was promoted to assistant running backs coach the following year, which made her the first black woman to become a full-time coach in NFL history.

King says her appointment is a step forward towards changing the narrative surrounding racial and gender representation in sports leadership.

“Representation means so much,” King said in a statement. “It’s really important right now to be a good representative, what I didn’t have growing up. I didn’t have anyone that looked anything like me working. To be able to see that, I think, is big. It’s super cool to be a part of this.”

As the first Black woman to become assistant coach for an NFL team, King serves as an inspiration for women and girls everywhere. She stressed in the team’s statement that it’s important for young Black girls “to know they can do anything.”

“It’s been a great few months for women just in general of things that have been accomplished,” King said. “It’s so important for them to know that they’re strong and capable of doing whatever they want to do, no matter what society may look like for them. They’re able to do it.”