Jennifer King: Breaking Barriers as the First Black Female Coach in the NFL

Jun 29

In the third episode of the Law of Athlete Podcast, listeners are in for a treat as they get to hear from Jennifer King, the trailblazing first black female coach in the National Football League (NFL). Hosts Deonte Holden and Tykera Carter sit down with Jennifer to talk about how she broke barriers in a male-dominated sport and how she became a student of the game, in line with Law #6: Become a Student of the Game.Jennifer King: THE First African American Woman to Join The NFL As a Full-Time coach

From a young age, Jennifer was always on the move, seeking out new opportunities and surrounding herself with people who could help her grow. She got her start coaching at a local college and interned for the Carolina Panthers, where she honed her skills and set her sights on the NFL. When asked how she achieved such incredible success, Jennifer cites balance as the key. She made sure to put herself in the right places and take advantage of every opportunity that came her way, all while maintaining a level head and staying true to her goals.

Jennifer's journey as a student of the game began on the field as a player, then evolved as she transitioned to coaching, and now finds her coaching some of the best football players in the world. The hosts ask how she made the jump from being on staff to becoming a coach, and Jennifer reveals that she faced no backlash from coaches or players because of her gender. As long as she was helping the players improve, they were happy to have her on their team.

Tykera brings up some of the common misconceptions about women in football, but Jennifer remains unfazed. She knows that as long as the people she works with are good with her, that's all that matters. She doesn't let Twitter trolls get in the way of her mission to make a difference in the game. To get to where she is today, Jennifer had to seek out opportunities and make the most of them, just as she advises others to do. Through a program she attended, she met Coach Rivera and networked her way to the NFL, relying on her own impressive football resume and stats. She even played for the D.C. Divas before making the switch to coaching, leaving behind her previous career as a police officer.

In a time when racial tensions are high, the hosts ask Jennifer about some of the tough conversations she may have had to have with players or coaches. Jennifer explains that it's not about being pro-police, but understanding how they are trained and how they react. She remains level-headed and calm, both on and off the field. Jennifer's achievement in breaking barriers has earned her a spot in the history books, something that she takes great pride in. She hopes that her success will inspire other women and girls to pursue their dreams, no matter how big they may seem.

As the conversation comes to a close, the hosts lighten things up with a few fun questions. When asked which of the three beloved soul foods has to go, fried chicken, macaroni, or yams, Jennifer chooses fried chicken. They also debate whether LeBron James or Michael Jordan is the better player, with Jennifer choosing MJ based on her upbringing. Overall, Jennifer shows that she is doing what it takes to continuously learn and grow as she blazes a trail in the NFL sidelines as the first black female coach, all while staying true to Law #6: Become A Student of the Game.