Has There Ever Been A Female Nfl Player?

In recent years, there has been a push for more gender equity in the NFL. But has there ever been a female player in the league? We take a look at the history of women in American football.

Women in the NFL

The National Football League has been a male-dominated sport since its inception in 1920. Over the past century, there have been several women who have made waves in the NFL. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of women playing in the league. Let’s take a look at the history of women in the NFL.

Women playing in the NFL

Though there has never been a woman to play in an NFL regular season or playoff game, there have been a handful of women who have played in the preseason.

In the 1970s, Los Angeles Rams owner Carroll Rosenbloom implemented a short-lived but highly publicized policy of actively recruiting female players. Two women participated in Rams training camp that decade: kickers Katie Henning and Lauren Silberman. Neither made the team.

In 1986, placekicker Liz Heaston became the first woman to play and score in a college football game, when she kicked two extra points for Willamette University against Linfield College.

In 2001 and 2002, kicker Lawrence Tynes of the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Giants respectively was a member of NFL Europa rosters, marking the first time a woman had held a full-time position on an NFL-affiliated roster. In 2005, Tynes briefly worked out with the Giants during their training camp. In 2010, holder/punter Erin McKeon became the first woman to participate in a Senior Bowl practices (she was not on any team’s roster for the game).

In August 2014 it was announced that Sarah Thomas had become the first full-time female official in NFL history. She had recently worked as a line judge during training camps of multiple NFL teams. On April 8, 2015 it was reported that Denise Ream had become the first female CEO of an NFL team, the Buffalo Bills. And on July 28, 2015, Jen Welter became the first female coach in NFL history when she was hired by the Arizona Cardinals as an intern coaching inside linebackers during preseason training camp and throughout preseason games.

Women’s football leagues

In the early 1900s women’s football teams started forming, many modeled after college and high school teams. Some of the first leagues were formed in the Midwest, featuring teams from Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. Most of these teams were sponsored by factories or businesses looking to promote their products to women. These leagues generally lasted only a few years. A few longer-lived leagues formed in the late 1920s and 1930s, but the Great Depression and World War II led to their demise.

The All-American Football Conference (AAFC) was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League (NFL) from 1946 to 1949. One of the AAFC’s innovations was signing players from small colleges that had never had much success in recruiting top athletes from major population areas. The AAFC’s most successful team was the Cleveland Browns, who won all four of the AAFC’s championships before joining the NFL in 1950 when the AAFC folded.

In 1968, nine men founded what would become the Women’s Professional Football League (WPFL). This league operated for two seasons until it ceased operations in 1970. The WPFL was unique among women’s football leagues in that players were not paid directly by the league; instead, they received a percentage of revenue from ticket sales and merchandise sales. Despite this unusual business model, several players did manage to make a good living playing for WPFL teams.

The First Female NFL Player

In 2015, Lauren Silberman made history by becoming the first woman to ever try out for the NFL. Although she didn’t ultimately make the cut, she did open the door for other women to follow in her footsteps. There have been a few women who have played in semi-pro and minor league football, but as of yet, no woman has made it to the big leagues.

Sarah Fuller

Sarah Fuller made history on November 28th, 2020, when she became the first woman to play in a Power 5 college football game. The moment was made even more special because it occurred on the same day that another woman, Kamala Harris, was elected as the Vice President of the United States. Sarah is a senior goalkeeper on the Vanderbilt University women’s soccer team, and she was asked to suit up for the Commodores’ football team when their regular kicker and punter were unable to play due to COVID-19 protocols.

Sarah was born in Cartersville, Georgia, in 1999. She played both soccer and football while she was growing up, but she didn’t start playing organized soccer until she was in high school. She quickly developed into an excellent goalkeeper, and she earned a scholarship to Vanderbilt University. As a member of the Vanderbilt women’s soccer team, Sarah has been named to the All-SEC team three times and she helped lead the Commodores to an SEC championship in 2018.

On November 28th, 2020, Sarah made history when she became the first woman to play in a Power 5 college football game. She even managed to make a successful extra point attempt! After the game, Sarah said that she hopes her historic moment will inspire other young girls to pursue their dreams.

Her impact

In 2015, Jen Welter made history as the first woman to coach in the NFL. She was a linebackers coach for the Arizona Cardinals during their training camp and preseason. Welter’s impact was significant because she proved that women can succeed at any level in the NFL.

Since 2015, there have been a number of other women who have made an impact in the NFL. Sarah Thomas became the first full-time female official in 2015, and in 2017, Katie Sowers became the second woman to coach in the NFL when she was hired as an assistant offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers.

These women are shattering glass ceilings and inspiring other young women to pursue their dreams, regardless of what others may say. They are proof that anything is possible if you work hard and never give up.

Other Female NFL Players

In 1970, Kathy Switzer was the first woman to enter and finish the Boston Marathon as a registered runner. In 1987, Diane Modahl won the 800m at the Commonwealth Games. In 1992, Mary Decker Slaney won the 3,000m at the indoor world championships. In 1994, Gina Gammage became the first woman to play in a men’s professional football game. In 1999, Melissa Barker became the first woman to be on a NFL Europe game-day roster. In 2002, Ashley Martin became the first woman to score in a college football game. In 2003, Katie Hnida became the first woman to score in a Division I-A football game.

Katie Sowers

Katie Sowers made history in August 2017 when she became the first woman to coach in the NFL. She was an assistant offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers.

Prior to her hiring, Sowers played professional football in the Women’s Football Alliance for eight seasons. She also worked as a scouting intern for the Atlanta Falcons in 2016.

Jen Welter

In 2015, Jen Welter had the opportunity to join the Arizona Cardinals as an intern coaching inside linebackers, making her the first woman ever to coach in the NFL. While she was only with the organization for a short period of time, her impact was far-reaching, as she helped to pave the way for other women who have works in male-dominated sports.