Arizona Cardinals hire Jen Welter as training camp and preseason assistant coach

The Arizona Cardinals have made some history, hiring Jen Welter as a training camp/preseason intern who will help coach inside linebackers.

Welter, who played 14 seasons of pro football mostly in the Women’s Football Alliance, is believed to be the first woman to hold any kind of coaching role in the NFL. She will do so in Arizona as part of an internship program.

AZCardinals.com’s Darren Urban has plenty of detail, including some thoughts from Cardinals coach Bruce Arians.

“Coaching is nothing more than teaching,” Arians said Monday. “One thing I have learned from players is, ‘How are you going to make me better? If you can make me better, I don’t care if you’re the Green Hornet, man, I’ll listen.’ I really believe she’ll have a great opportunity with this internship through training camp to open some doors for her.”

Welter, 37, holds a master’s degree in sport psychology and a PhD in pyschology. She played running back and on special teams for the Texas Revolution in 2014, making her the first female to play a non-kicking position in a men’s pro football league. She also won a pair of gold medals playing for Team USA in the International Federation of American Football Women’s World Championship in 2010 and 2013.

I'm honored to be part of the #BIRDGANG! Love the #footballfamily here with the #ArizonaCardinals #NFL… http://t.co/vPdmyKH2hi

— Dr. Jen Welter (@jwelter47) July 28, 2015

For Arians, the hire just made sense.

“She came for an OTA and I met her, and I thought she was the type of person that could handle this in a very positive way for women and open that door,” Arians said.

Arians also said he does not believe Welter will be a distraction in any way and hopes that this hire will help open the door for other women to find their way into the NFL coaching ranks.

Along with Welter, the Cardinals also announced the addition of former NFL linebacker Levon Kirkland to their coaching staff.