Jennifer King, Lori Locust, Maral Javadifar Make NFL History in Bucs vs. WFT

The Washington Football Team and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will help make NFL history Saturday in the first playoff game with women coaching on both sidelines.

Washington's Jennifer King is finishing up a full-year coaching internship, while Tampa features assistant strength and conditioning coach Maral Javadifar and assistant defensive line coach Lori Locust. King also becomes the first Black woman to coach a playoff game in the NFL. 

Locust told The Athletic's Rhiannon Walker: 

"We want other women to see that it's possible. We want other women to know this is the end result, but the focus really needs to be on the path and the work that needs to be put in to get here so that they're not like, 'Oh, this is great!' Because it's not for everybody. These hours and the level of commitment that you have—and there's a lot of sacrifice to get to this level and stay here."

Both Locust and Javadifar are in their second season with the Bucs.

With three more victories, either team will ensure there are women on the sideline at the Super Bowl for a second consecutive season after the San Francisco 49ers appeared in the title game with pro personnel analyst Salli Clavelle and offensive assistant Katie Sowers last year.