Katie Sowers has become the first openly lesbian coach in the NFL—speaking publicly for the first time about her sexuality in an interview with OutSports.
Sowers was hired as an assistant coach for the San Francisco 49ers last month—becoming only the second woman to hold such a role in the league.
Now she’s the only openly LGBT+ person in the NFL coaching staff—after deciding to publicly share her story with the sporting website.
“There are so many people who identify as LGBT in the NFL, as in any business, that do not feel comfortable being public about their sexual orientation,” she tells Outsports.
“The more we can create an environment that welcomes all types of people, no matter their race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, the more we can help ease the pain and burden that many carry every day.”
“No matter what you do in life, one of the most important things is to be true to who you are,” she says.
Sowers noted her orientation first came up in her NFL career when she started working for the Atlanta Falcons’ assistant general manager, Scott Pioli.
“At first, I was nervous to tell him as many are in new environments, but it came up in an everyday conversation about my family and life back home in Kansas City.
“I could not have asked for a more open minded and accepting group of people to work with. I never once felt judged and I was treated just like anyone would want to be treated: as a typical person working to build a career.”
The 31-year-old says she hopes to one day be a head coach in the NFL or in the college football league.
