Kate Sowers became the first female coach in a Super Bowl a year ago with the 49ers. This year, Maral Javadifar and Lori Locust are coaching in the big game for the Bucs.
Javadifar (pictured) is the team’s assistant strength and conditioning coach and Locust the assistant defensive line coach.
“I do look forward to the day that it’s no longer newsworthy to be a woman working in the pros, or making the Super Bowl for that matter,” Javadifar said Monday, via The Associated Press. “And, you know, I hope we get to a point where all people are afforded equal opportunities to work in professional sports because there are a lot of great qualified coaches out there.”
The Bucs also have Carly Helfand as a scouting assistant with Jackie Davidson in the front office as director of football research. The Chiefs have female assistant athletic trainers in Julie Frymyer and Tiffany Morton.
Down judge Sarah Thomas will become the first female to officiate a Super Bowl on Sunday.
Locust and Javadifar can become the first female coaches to win Super Bowl rings. That’s what they want to be remembered for -- being Super Bowl champions -- not for being pioneers.
“I think the nice thing about all of this right now is that that kind of title doesn’t matter,” Locust said. “M.J. and I are here to help Tampa Bay win. It wouldn’t matter if we’re second in or 273rd in. We acknowledge the fact that there hasn’t been many before us, but it’s not anything that we keep in the forefront of what we do on a daily basis.”