Who Was the First Female Coach in the NFL

Key Answer at a Glance

The first woman to coach in the National Football League (NFL) was Kathryn "Katie" Smith, a special teams quality control coach with the Arizona Cardinals in 2015. Her hiring marked the first time a woman held a coaching position in the league. Since then, a small but growing number of women have served in NFL coaching staff roles, though barriers and turnover persist. This profile breaks down verified roles, context, timelines, and implications for the future.

Defining the Milestone

When people ask about the first female coach in the NFL, they are usually asking about the first woman to appear on an NFL coaching staff during a regular season, not staff assistants or internships. That distinction belongs to Kathryn Smith with the Arizona Cardinals in 2015. This is distinct from women who held administrative or scouting roles, and from women who coached in the short-lived All-American Football League (AAFC) or other professional leagues. Understanding this milestone as an NFL coaching staff appointment clarifies many subsequent references.

Timeline of Firsts and Subsequent Roles

Because "first female coach in the NFL" can refer to a single event or to multiple women over time, a timeline helps anchor facts. The table below summarizes verified roles, teams, dates, and positions. Note that this list reflects publicly reported, attributable roles and may be incomplete due to privacy or undisclosed assistant hires.

Verified Roles and Dates

Breaking Down the First: Kathryn Smith and 2015

In 2015, the Arizona Cardinals announced two women in coaching-related roles: Kathryn Smith as special teams quality control coach and Jennifer Welter as assistant defensive line/intern coach. Smith’s position was a full-time coaching role on the staff, making her the first woman to hold such a role in NFL history. Quality control coaches film and analyze opponents, help players with technique, and support the special teams coordinator. Her hire was widely reported by league sources and represented a landmark moment. Since 2015, other women have joined NFL coaching staffs in varying capacities, but Smith remains the earliest verified full-time coach.

Context and Comparison with Other Leagues

To understand the significance of the first female NFL coach, it helps to compare with other leagues. In the AFL (1960s) and later AAFC (1940s–1949), women are sometimes cited as coaches, but records are sparse and often refer to practices or informal roles rather than official staff appointments in the modern sense. In the NFL Europe league, women coaches also appeared in non-NFL contexts. The modern NFL staff structure, with full-time salaried coaching positions, began formalizing in the 1970s and 1980s, which means official records are more reliable post-1990. The Cardinals’ 2015 announcement came after years of incremental progress in women holding staff roles at lower levels of football, from college to the XFL and USFL, providing a clearer paper trail.

Impact and Legacy

Kathryn Smith’s hiring did not immediately open doors for many women, but it created a reference point. Teams began discussing workflows and accommodations for female coaches, and media coverage increased public awareness. Subsequent hires—such as coaching assistants and quality control roles filled by women—cited her example. Yet progress has been uneven; some women leave for administrative or front-office roles, while others exit due to lack of opportunity or cultural barriers. The lasting impact lies in normalizing the idea that women can hold on-field coaching positions, even as the pace of change varies by team and league office.

Common Misconceptions and Clarifications

Not all high-profile female football figures were NFL coaches. Doris Burke, for example, worked as a game analyst for broadcasters, not as a coach. Claims that women held NFL coaching roles before 2015 are typically based on vague historical references or non-NFL leagues. Informal practices or volunteer roles do not equate to an official NFL staff appointment. Additionally, some social media posts conflate women in scouting, administration, or player development roles with coaching staff titles. For clarity, an NFL coach is someone listed on a team’s official coaching roster by the league office.

Current Landscape and What to Watch

As of recent seasons, a small number of women remain on NFL coaching staffs, often in quality control or assistant roles. Teams occasionally announce hires that draw attention, but retention and advancement to coordinator-level positions have been rare. What to watch includes: transparent hiring practices, mentorship programs, whether teams create clear advancement pathways, and public reporting of roster demographics. The persistence of a few women in these roles suggests slow but ongoing change, provided organizational commitment outlasts individual tenures.

What to Remember

• The first verified female coach in the NFL was Kathryn Smith with the Arizona Cardinals in 2015.
• She held a full-time quality control coaching role, distinct from analyst or administrative positions.
• Other women followed in staff roles, but progress has been incremental and uneven.
• Distinguish between official coaching staff appointments and media, scouting, or administrative roles.
• Continued change depends on team policies, culture, and measurable opportunities for advancement.