Athlete Ally Celebrates Coach Katie Sowers
Today, Katie Sowers, the second full-time coach in NFL history, officially became the first openly LGBT coach in NFL history.
Previously, Sowers played pro football in the Women’s Football Alliance and had served as a coaching intern with the 49ers over the summer. She’ll now work as an offensive assistant coach in 2017.
Athlete Ally Executive Director Hudson Taylor said the following:
We believe that context creates compassion. With Katie’s announcement, athletes around the league and throughout sport will have a better understanding of how their words and actions impact those around them, only furthering the effort to make sport inclusive and accessible for everyone — regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
While we’ve seen a growing number of athletes come out over the past five years, we’ve failed to see that progress on the coaching front, which makes coach Sowers’ decision especially heartening. We’re hopeful that her announcement will open the door for other coaches to follow in her footsteps.