He recalled how his eyes were opened 25 years ago by Dot Murphy, a longtime coach at Hinds Community College in Mississippi. Sowers, the 49ers aide, contacted Locust and told her she needed to reach out to Tampa Bay. They also became the first pair of female coaches on one team to coach on the sport's biggest stage after Katie Sowers did so as an assistant coach for the San Francisco 49ers last season. But they met up again at the inaugural NFL Womens Careers in Football Forum in Orlando in 2017, an invite-only event with just 15 women. Hacking, addresses Thank you very much in advance. during Mark Hacking's Arians had recently been hired as head coach by Tampa Bay, and he had made a commitment to hire a female assistant. "It's less about the rehab side of it where I come in," she continued. Super Bowl Data Crunch, Defense: Bucs ILB Devin White put together a postseason stat line never seen before while Ndamukong Suh became the first player with a postseason sack for four different teamsThat and much more, Super Bowl Data Crunch, Offense: Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski are now the most prolific touchdown duo in NFL postseason historyPlus, the Bucs have nearly matched the all-time record for Super Bowl wins of 20-plus points, and much more. Who Is Lori Locust? This season, Javadifar and Locust took it a step further. By that point, her ambition was clear, and in 2017 she took a job guiding the defensive linemen, linebackers and special teams with the now-defunct Lehigh Valley Steelhawks of the National Arena League. Web Provided by WHTM Harrisburg Buccaneers fire assistant DL coach Lori Locust, Susquehanna Twp. pleaded guilty The first was Kathryn Smith, a special-teams quality control coach with the Buffalo Bills in 2016. As for the game, the defensive line Locust helps coach was dominant throughout and consistently pressured Patrick Mahomes and forced him out of the pocket while holding the Chiefs without a touchdown. I think thats really cool. Locust is a graduate of Susquehanna Township High School in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. For us, shes just another coach we can learn from, said Beau Allen, the Bucs tackle who was on the Eagles victorious Super Bowl team, another set of eyes watching and helping us. They will forever be known as the trailblazing duo who paved the way for other women to not only coach professional football, but help lead a team to victory. Pro Football Focus had Ross as the highest-graded receiver through the seven weeks of the AAF season, and in her lone season with Dartmouth, the Big Green went 9-1 and were co-Ivy League champions. Javadifar was born in Iran, where her mother wasnt even allowed to watch sports, she told Yahoo Sports Shalise Manza Young. Lori Locust and Maral Javadifar made history Sunday night. judgment during Lori Locust's senior football journey started at Central PA Vipers, a women's football team. When coaches were speaking at hotel conferences, Locust would figure out where the people she wanted to hear were speaking, get the room above it, then sleep on the floor of her hotel room so she could glean some knowledge about the sport she picked up at 40. She was receiving interest from NBA teams as a therapist before Arians offered her a job: You have to understand, this is not just something thats done because of checking boxes, its not done because of an initiative, its who [Bruce] is and has always been, Locust said. When she was sidelined by a knee injury, she turned to coaching her team, and later joined several other teams as an assistant, including the varsity team at her alma mater. murder in the death of There were five or six years of mens semi-pro coaching. To be able to compete with them in a playoff situation is really cool.. Hacking and his wife Janet (R) read, SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Thelma Soares, mother of murdered Lori During his time with the Arizona Cardinals, he hired the leagues first female coach when he brought on assistant coaching intern Jen Welter. Bowles, her old Temple pal and the Buccaneers new defensive coordinator, said Locust has fit in quickly and well. Though, she doesn't want to be known by that 'woman' qualifier. He also hired two women to full-time coaching roles. She and her mother fled the country in 1984 and settled in Queens. the Murderpedia project stay alive. Mark Hacking killed his wife in She married Andrew, had two kids (Alex, 29, and Bryce, 22), divorced, and in 2004, at age 40, began to play womens semipro football as a defensive lineman with the Central Penn Vipers. Its because we worked for years to get to a point where we could be considered for opportunities and we could do the same type of position coaching, or we could do the same type of traditional role, as our male counterparts. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Lake City, Utah. We don't see her as a woman, we only see her as Coach Lo and she steps in and performs her role admirably.". July, 2004. TikTok Is Obsessed With Hormone Balancing, but Is It Legit? was given six years to life In Arizona, her receiving corps had former Washington special-teamer and wide receiver Rashad Ross, who led the AAF in touchdown receptions. July 2004. Locust and life for killing his wife, Lori Aside from that, Locust didnt make a dime. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Mark Hacking (R) wife Lori in July 2004. Its just getting the opportunity. Not only was her tantalizing taste of the NFL over, but she was laid off from her regular job. SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Thelma Soares, mother of murdered Lori In Tampa, Locust has waded confidently into locker rooms and coaching rooms populated exclusively by men, almost none of whom has ever worked with a woman. "And, you know, I hope we get to a point where all people are afforded equal opportunities to work in professional sports because there are a lot of great qualified coaches out there. WebLori Locust (born April 27, 1964) is the defensive line coach for the Birmingham Iron. grad spent four seasons in Tampa She was the only female defensive Utah. "As much as the game made sense to me as a player, I began to see it from another angle [as a coach], and I really liked it.. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. On Saturday, the Tennessee Titans made franchise history by hiring their first full-time female coach in Lori Locust, who previously spent four years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an assistant defensive line coach. When the group broke into separate discussions, King and Locust were only a person away. Gil Athay, stand WebLocust was hired as the assistant defensive line coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019, making her the first female position coach in the NFL and the third female full-time assistant coach. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. The fact that their gender is different, who gives a [hoot]? said Arians, who added a female strength and conditioning assistant, Maral Javadifar, along with Locust, to the Tampa Bay staff. I never played again, but I started coaching them," she said. Both women are in their second seasons working under Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians. She interned with the Baltimore Ravens, and worked as the assistant defensive line coach for the Birmingham Iron of the AAF (Alliance of American Football). I figure there are other young ladies out there that want to be involved. This page was last modified on 5 February 2019, at 14:14. Hacking last year, June 6, 2005 in Salt Lake City, Utah. That's been paramount, I believe, in our training program.". with his attorney. "It's more about hey, when training camp starts let's do individual assessments on each player, kind of get an idea of how that player moves, how they work and fine tune the intricate details. It doesnt necessarily have to be coaching. When Washington played Cleveland in September, it was the first NFL game with three women on the field in King, Browns chief of staff Callie Brownson and NFL official Sarah Thomas. her son's sentencing June 6, 2005, in She'll be part of Girls Nite In Online's "Women in the NFL" series. wife Lori in She is the team's first full-time female coach after working with the Buccaneers. Nick Gray, Nashville Tennessean. And shes not afraid. judgment during, SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Mark Hacking cries as the judge gives 6, 2005 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 theyre not like, Oh, this is great! Because its not for everybody. We need your support. Monday June 6, 2005 in Salt Lake City, Utah. A Super Bowl champion with the Bucs following the 2020 season, Locust experienced the highs and lows of NFL coaching business while recognizing and leaning on the value of relationships in the industry to help her land another coaching opportunity. Locust emailed Arians, reminding him that 36 years before they had met at Temple. Quality local journalism has never been more important. Thanks for visiting PennLive. She is Coach Locust. "I would hope that other owners would look and see that this works," says Bruce Arians about his diverse coaching staff. judgment during The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Kacy Rodgers is the Bucs head defensive line coach. SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Eraldo Soares (R), father of murdered Lori Titans beat writer Paul Kuharsky gave us more specifics, reporting that Locust would work with coach Ryan Crow and the outside linebackers. March 1, 2023. coached in this seasons wild-card weekend, Sarah Thomas became the first woman to ever officiate in the Super Bowl, only NFL team with an all-Black group of coordinators under Arians. murder in the death of his wife Lori in July 2004. pleaded guilty to murder in the death of his SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Thelma Soares, mother of Lori Hacking, of Lori ), Some people sometimes feel like theres some magic wand somewhere and like, poof, all of a sudden, like, theres qualified women, Locust said. Who helped themselves and who took a misstep on the second day of workouts at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine? They tower over me, and every once in a while I realize just how much bigger they are, she said. before Judge With the win, a pair of assistants on the teams coaching staff have made history. Its been quite a year for me, King said. The workshops are free, but audience members are encouraged to leave a donation to tip the instructor. Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady named Super Bowl MVP for the fifth time in his career as he leads Tampa Bay to its second Super Bowl championship in franchise history. in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Titans have not announced the move. Women's History Month: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Assistant DL Coach Lori Locust. "She is a coach. Hacking pleaded guilty to Oh, by the way, they all happened to be African American. She also volunteered to coach at all-star showcase events scouting combine-like auditions for top Division II and III players in Florida, Canada and elsewhere. Thats not me. February 3, 2021, 3:33 PM. and his wife Janet (R) read In the early 1980s, her family left the Middle Eastern country to come to America. "There's some times Locust has coached for the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks of the National Arena League, the Keystone Assault of the Women's Football Alliance, the East Preps talent showcase, and the DMV Elite community football program. March 1, 2023. Locusts team, she explained, wasnt nearly as good as Kings. Please check your email for a confirmation. It was really cool to see the love. 14 hours ago, by Samantha Brodsky for killing his wife, Lori Hacking, in July 2004. #Titans first female coach will work with Ryan Crow and OLBs. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). A native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Locust graduated from Susquehanna Township High School, where she worked as an assistant coach from 2010-2018. Years later, they were on opposite sidelines. Look around at his current staff and you'll see many of his former players and even staff members from that Temple team in the 1980's. I havent come into this waving the woman card. Where did they come from?, We want other women to see that its possible. Youve got to run to the ball! she yelled. TAMPA, Fla. -- Lori Locust and Maral Javadifar, Super Bowl champs. his sentencing June 6, 2005 Chad Reuter provides a stock report from Indianapolis. "History was made tonight!" Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive line assistant Lori Locust is joining the Tennessee Titans, she announced on Twitter on Saturday. But, after leaving Temple and returning to Harrisburg, she said she did what I was supposed to do, getting a full-time job in the insurance industry. But she wasnt out of work for long, joining Titans head coach Mike Vrabels staff on Feb. 4. We have many NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images). Locust joined Mike Vrabel's staff last month as an assistant defensive coach, the first full-time woman coach in franchise history She's just a coach, brought here to help deliver this team a championship. "M.J. (Maral Javadifar) and I are here to help Tampa Bay win," said Locust during Monday's Super Bowl media availability. I think thats an important message that the league is putting out there. NFL+ gives you the freedom to watch LIVE out-of-market preseason games, LIVE local and primetime regular season and postseason games on your phone or tablet, the best NFL programming on-demand, and MORE!