Sport

The real winner of the Super Bowl is San Francisco 49ers’ coach Katie Sowers, who made queer history at the big game

Super Bowl

Katie Sowers made Super Bowl history on Sunday (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group/Getty)

San Francisco 49ers’ Katie Sowers made sporting history on Sunday as the first woman – and the first LGBT+ person – to coach a team at the Super Bowl.

Sowers, 33, was the offensive assistant coach for the big game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Although her team lost 31-20, she’s a winner in our books as she’s the first out lesbian to hold the prominent position in the league’s history – and inspired countless people as she did so.

Speaking of her trailblazing role in Super Bowl LIV, America’s biggest sporting event, Sowers told Sky Sports: “Being the first, it is historic. There always has to be a first to make a change but the most important thing is just to make sure I’m not the last.

“I allowed him [head coach Kyle Shanahan] to see who I am, what my dreams and goals were and he truly believed in diversity within the NFL.

“He was happy to help me, which I am so grateful for. He truly became a mentor, taught me the culture, and really led me to where I am.”

In the past the NFL has been known for being ‘unwelcoming’ towards LGBT+ players, and Soweres previously admitted that her sexuality has previously been a barrier to her career.

“As I was finishing college, I actually got turned down from a volunteer coaching job because I was a lesbian,” she told OutSports in 2017. “I was told, ‘Because of your lifestyle, we ask that you do not come around the team.'”

She said that the experience motivated her further. “Without that experience, I would not be where I am today.”

The efforts of Katie Sowers at the Super Bowl didn’t go unnoticed on social media, where fans have been sharing their appreciation.

 

 

 

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