Meet the Women of Super Bowl LV

This year, Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes won’t be the only ones making headlines in Superbowl LV. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a diverse staff on the sidelines. Lori Locust, an assistant defensive line coach, and Maral Javadifar, an assistant strength and conditioning coach, are trailblazing through the gender wall that is usually prevalent in the NFL. Joining them in making NFL history is Sarah Thomas, who will be the first woman to officiate the sport’s biggest event. Though these women are grateful for the opportunity, they aren’t feeling the hype for the headlines. When questioned about her role in the game, Maral Javadifar stated, “I do look forward to the day when it’s no longer newsworthy to be a woman working in the pros or making the Super Bowl for that matter. I hope we get to the point where all people are affording equal opportunity to work in professional sports.” The road they have both taken to get where they are has undeniably had obstacles, especially in relation to their male counterparts. They both stand in solidarity regarding how they view their jobs. “M.J. [Maral Javadifar] and I are here to help Tampa Bay win,”  Locust said. “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.” Locust and Javadifar are focused on the job at hand, helping the Buccaneers beat the Kansas City Chiefs.  In their eyes, they are only doing what normal coaches would do.

Additionally, they are both exceedingly qualified to do their jobs. Javadifar is one of only a few strength and conditioning coaches in the NFL to have a doctoral degree in physical therapy. However, they still have to balance being the “firsts” to do something that is so important to American sports culture. The sudden media coverage in regard to women coaches often makes people assume that they simply appeared out of thin air, which is not the case. There are hundreds of women at various levels of football from high school to semi-pro accomplishing things that the mainstream media will not catch.  Locust said, “If Covid hadn’t hit you’d have seen so many more women in the league this year, whether internships or straight hires. I think that it’s just shining a light now back on the women that are already out there.” For women who are hopeful in tackling jobs within the NFL, people like Lori Locust and Maral Javadifar are making positive strides in an organization historically known for being dominated by men. Only time will tell who’ll join these women in 2021 and beyond, but for now, the Bucs will take the field as the first team in NFL history to employ multiple female coaches in a Super Bowl.

There is still a long way to go with women’s inclusivity in the NFL, but today is a monumental step in the right direction.

Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Youtube and Pinterest!

• football
• FSU
• sports
• super bowl
• women