Redskins Hire Jennifer King, First Black Female Assistant
The Redskins hired Jennifer King, the first black female assistant coach in the NFL this week.
Washington management initially met with King late last month regarding a full-time assistant coaching position. She apparently blew them away because the organization has opted to move forward.
According to ESPN NFL insider David Newton, King was initially hired by Ron Rivera to serve as a wide receivers intern back when he was with the Carolina Panthers.
The pair originally met in 2016 at the NFL Women’s Careers in Football Forum.
“Part of it, it’s all about the fan base,” Rivera said of the event at the time.
“It’s also knowing the moms out there that understand the game. It’s important because they really do control as to whether their kids are going to play. This is something that has to be developed.
King served in that role for two summers, before ultimately moving on to become an offensive assistant with Dartmouth College.
The Redskins brought Rivera on this past January, and he subsequently had King meet with members of the team shortly thereafter.
King is a former coach at Johnson and Wales University, but there she coached the basketball team. With her at the helm, the school won a Division II title back in 2018.
Beyond that, King also served as a player for the New York Sharks in the Women’s Football Alliance and then served as an assistant receivers coach for the Arizona Hotshots in the Alliance of American Football.
In the AAF, King assisted former Washington wide receiver Rashad Ross.
Ross is currently playing for the DC Defenders in the XFL. He believes that the reason why King relates to well to male players is because she has such extensive experience in similar forms of athletics.
“She’s been through what we’ve been through,” he said.
“It’s different learning by the book and actually playing and actually going through it — understanding how players feel when they’re hurting and not hurting, when they’re frustrated.”
King’s time with the Redskins will officially kick off in the 2020-21 NFL season.
Related: Will Panthers Trade Cam Newton To Chargers?
Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
