NFL hires Sam Rapoport, seeks more jobs for women in coaching, scouting roles

The NFL has hired Sam Rapoport as the director of football development.

The NFL is looking to hire more women in coaching and scouting roles as the league announced Sam Rapoport as the director of football development, according to ESPN.

“My role is to create programming to show them that the pipeline is open to them,” Rapoport said. “and create that pipeline for females to enter into positions that were traditionally held by men.”

Rapoport has worked in football since 2003 and has interned with the NFL before helping develop a national flag football program for girls in her six years of experience with USA Football.

The NFL does not have any women in a coaching role yet. The NBA has two full-time assistants on coaching staffs with Becky Hammon of the Spurs and Nancy Lieberman of the Kings.

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The NFL has added roles for women in recent years as Sarah Thomas was hired as the first full-time referee. Kathryn Smith serves as the Bills quality-control coach under head coach Rex Ryan.

ESPN notes that 30% of NFL front office jobs are held by women but there are limited women working in football operations.