San Francisco 49ers make history with first-ever openly gay coach in the Super Bowl
Katie Sowers. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
NFL coach Katie Sowers has become the first female and first openly gay coach to reach the Super Bowl after the San Francisco 49ers triumphed over the Green Bay Packers.
Sowers – who is assistant coach on the team – will watch the 49ers compete next month at the Super Bowl LIV in Miami in a landmark moment for LGBT+ representation in sport.
The team will face off against Kansas City Chiefs on February 2, Outsports reports.
“Takin our talents to south beach,” the openly gay coach wrote on Instagram on January 19.
Openly gay coach Katie Sowers is the first LGBT+ coach to get to the Super Bowl.
The 33-year-old is from Kansas and has been obsessed with football for her entire life. She is a former player in the Women’s Football Alliance and has spent three seasons with the 49ers.
Last week, team quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo praised Sowers as “tremendous”.
“Katie was here before I was, but just what she does with the receivers, all the skill positions guys, how she interacts with them. It’s special. She’s feisty man. Katie is awesome out there. She’ll get after guys … It’s fun to be around.”
No matter what you do in life, one of the most important things is to be true to who you are.
Sowers became the first ever openly gay NFL coach in 2017 and discussed her sexuality in an interview with Outsports.
“No matter what you do in life, one of the most important things is to be true to who you are.
“There are so many people who identify as LGBT+ in the NFL, as in any business, that do not feel comfortable being public about their sexual orientation.
Coach wants to ‘ease the pain and burden’ for others by creating a welcoming environment.
“The more we can create an environment that welcomes all types of people, no matter their race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, the more we can help ease the pain and burden that many carry every day.”
She also said in that interview that the people she works with on the San Francisco 49ers have all been open and accepting.
“I could not have asked for a more open minded and accepting group of people to work with,” Sowers said.
“I never once felt judged and I was treated just like anyone would want to be treated: as a typical person working to build a career.”
The openly gay coach has shared photos of herself and her girlfriend on Instagram in the past and has been vocal about her sexuality.
