Jennifer King has been named as the first full-time, African-American female assistant position coach in NFL history.
The Washington Football Team announced that King was promoted to become the team’s assistant running backs coach. Last year BLACK ENTERPRISE reported
that the Washington Redskins had hired Jennifer King as a full-year coaching intern.“Coach King is well-deserving of the promotion to assistant running backs coach. She came to Washington eager for the opportunity to work as a full-year coaching intern and learn from our staff,” coach Ron Rivera said in a written statement. “She got the chance to experience not only the in-season work that goes into being a full-time coach in this league but also the countless hours that are spent preparing in the offseason as well. She demonstrated all of the qualities
that are needed to work full-time on my staff. She is a hard worker, a great communicator, and a quality person. Coach King is always eager to learn and has shown tremendous growth since starting here last season. I know she will continue to be an asset to Coach Turner, Coach Jordan, and the running back group, and she earned this opportunity with her hard work. The sky is truly the limit for her.”Last year, King spent her time with the team as a coaching intern in Washington, mostly reporting to Running Backs coach Randy Jordan.
“I am very pleased to have Coach King back to assist me full-time in the running backs room,” Jordan said. “She was extremely helpful last year in seeing the game from a different perspective, and she was a tremendous communicator in our room. I look forward to continuing to collaborate as we move forward in our program and as she moves forward in her coaching career.”
King has also played the sport of football as a seven-time All-American quarterback and wide receiver for the Carolina Phoenix of the Women’s Football Alliance from 2006-17.