SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Eraldo Soares (R), father of murdered Lori February 5, 2023 10:29 am ET. Utah. his judgment during, SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Mark Hacking cries as the judge gives Hacking, addresses, SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Thelma Soares, mother of Lori Hacking, A lot of people think she was hired as a favor, but shes more than qualified, said Kevin Ross, the former Temple star who is now Tampa Bays cornerbacks coach. She just wanted to be there because she loved the game and she had something to offer. Arians is well-known as one of the NFLs foremost champions of diversity. We don't see her as a woman, we only see her as Coach Lo and she steps in and performs her role admirably.". After college, the Associated Press reports Locust went into the insurance industry, got married and had two sons. She attributes the success to getting the fundamentals down and not overlooking details. Javadifar has a doctorate in physical therapy, which is something not seen on many strength staffs around the league. She's just a coach, brought here to help deliver this team a championship. Locust is a graduate of Susquehanna Township High School in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. There were four years of arena football and mentoring and coaching showcase teams. She also has a sports background, as she played college basketball at Pace University, where she earned her bachelor of science degree in molecular biology. Before joining the team, Javadifar, known as M.J., worked as a performance physical therapist. This season, Javadifar and Locust took it a step further. Birmingham Iron assistant coach Lori Locust began coaching football more than a decade ago, logging time at the high school, semi-pro and arena-league levels. 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. While her parents took her to occasional high school football games, neither was a fan of the sport. Yes, you can coach in the NFL. Locust traveled to Canada, outside of Philadelphia and along the East Coast. She attended the NFLs annual Womens Careers in Football Forum in 2017 and 2018, later getting a job in the Alliance of American Football until the league folded. Shes also capable of pulling them off to the side to discuss what shes seeing and give pointers. Lori Locust joins the Titans as a defensive assistant. , Awesome, Youre All Set! the media after Mark 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. "History was made tonight!" 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! Lori Locust is a Super Bowl-winning coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but she got her start on the football fields of the Susquehanna Valley. After graduating from Susquehanna Township High School in 1982, Locust was steered to Temple by a guidance counselor. Get daily fitness inspiration right in your inbox. In the fall of 2018 she interned with the Baltimore Ravens under a Bill Walsh Diversity Fellowship. 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. 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. It was time for that door to be knocked down and allow them because they've been putting in time, and they're very, very qualified. But, not long after, Samantha Rapoport, the NFLs director of football development and its point person for efforts to bring more women into the game, called and asked if Locust would be interested in coaching Birmingham in the new Alliance of American Football (AAF). sentencing June 6, 2005 in Salt Lake City, Michael B. Jordans latest long-term relationship was with model Lori Harvey.The two were first linked in November 2020 and made their red carpet debut at the Female coaches are becoming increasingly common in the NFL as a record six women, including Locust and Javadifar, coached in this seasons wild-card weekend. The two already knew each other; theyd played against each other in their semi-pro womens league. 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. You can learn more about Girls Nite In Online at gnionline.com. "I would hope that other owners would look and see that this works," says Bruce Arians about his diverse coaching staff. History was made tonight! Locust 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 Mike Moraitis. Locust said she dreams of one day becoming a head defensive line coach or even a coordinator. She would drive hundreds and hundreds of miles from Pennsylvania and cut through Richmond, Va., to hunker down for the night. Locust inadvertently pointed herself toward the NFL nearly a decade-and-a-half ago. Hacking, in July 2004. pleaded guilty to murder in the death of his Locust, age 56, born in Harrisburg, PA, became the assistant defensive line coach for the Buccaneers in 2020, so this is her second season with That made her one of the staff right away. Who Is Lori Locust? grad spent four seasons in Tampa She was the only female defensive It was late in a May practice on a steamy Florida afternoon, one of those moments when overheated players and coaches crave a break and footballs discipline often dissolves in a haze of perspiration and weariness. SALT LAKE CITY - APRIL 15: Mark Hacking is escorted out of the Less than a decade later, and Locus is now the assistant defensive line coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. King, who works with running backs coach Randy Jordan, said many of the same things as Locust when she was hired in February. Hacking pleaded guilty to I left Birmingham for Tampa on a Wednesday, and by the next Tuesday the AAF was out of business, she said. I was just talking with Joe Pendry about you. He said hed be in touch. for killing his wife, Lori Hacking, in July 2004. Lori Locust (born April 27, 1964) is the defensive line coach for the Birmingham Iron. wife Lori in As a youngster, she developed an interest in football, attracted by its aggressiveness and physicality. addresses the judge There were five or six years of mens semi-pro coaching. 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. She departed Temple without a degree in 1984 when her father was diagnosed with cancer. pic.twitter.com/kgUlMLuBeA. At the end of the day, thats what it should be. And in that instant, Lori Locust, a Philadelphia-born football fanatic who is in her early days as one of the NFLs first full-time female assistant coaches, did what any of her colleagues might have done. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrated their latest Lombardi trophy with a boat parade and the help of thousands. 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. Once in Tampa, she found that the Ravens internship had prepared her well. WebAssistant defensive line coach Lori Locust spoke to the media on Monday in advance of Super Bowl LV between the Chiefs and the Buccaneers. murder in the death of his wife Lori in July 2004. on April 15, 2005 during his Hacking pleaded guilty 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. His Sunday column, 'Franks Place', examines Philadelphias rich sports history. Sign up for the Titans Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Mark Hacking killed his wife in Her and Maral Javadifar also. Then we should be able to get an opportunity just like anybody else.. his plea agreement April SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: People gather to watch Eraldo Soares, the "I do look forward to the day that it's no longer newsworthy to be a woman working in the pros, or making the Super Bowl for that matter," Javadifar said Monday, per the Associated Press (h/t Hartford Courant). pleaded guilty SALT LAKE CITY - APRIL 15: Mark Hacking (R) stands at the podium She played basketball at Pace University and earned a doctorate in physical therapy. Assistant defensive line coach Lori Locust became the league's first woman position coach when she arrived in Tampa. Locust and Javadifar have worked two seasons on the staff of coach Bruce Arians. Lori was married to Andrew Locust who was a defensive back for Temple football coaches Wayne Hardin and then Arians, playing alongside future NFL defensive This didnt just happen, she said. Photo provided by Girls Nite In Online. He said, `This is incredible. Arians, who as coach of the Arizona Cardinals in 2015 hired a female intern, Jen Welter, to work with his linebackers, has been a pioneer in the push for women coaches. Locust and Javadifar are part of a diverse staff in Tampa Bay, as offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong and run game coordinator/assistant head coach Harold Goodwin are all Black. Oh, by the way, they all happened to be African American. Head Coach Bruce Arians brought with him the most diverse staff ever seen by the league in more ways than one. Salt Lake City, Utah. That said, there is some overlap between the two positions in Tennessee, as weve seen a guy like Denico Autry be deployed at outside linebacker in recent years. In March, as the doomed leagues only season neared its early conclusion, she attended a coaching clinic at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Im super thankful, and who knew all those things would happen and Id be a part of so many special moments. She'll be part of Girls Nite In Online's "Women in the NFL" series. Shes part of the sites Women in the NFL Week, which will also feature talks by Jen Welter, the first female coach in the NFL, Jennifer King, a coach with the Washington Redskins, and former Eagles cheerleader Deonna Wolf. That accomplishment earned Thomas a shout-out from First Lady Jill Biden: Im cheering you on today, Sarah Thomas! in Salt Lake City, Utah. #SuperBowl #EarnedNotGiven https://t.co/betxrR8bcm, Im cheering you on today, Sarah Thomas! ), Some people sometimes feel like theres some magic wand somewhere and like, poof, all of a sudden, like, theres qualified women, Locust said. 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. She continued coaching after college, and worked her way up to the NFL. This game, its a tremendous game. (Sowers said this week she will not return to the 49ers next season; Salli Clavelle, one of their pro personnel analysts, remains on staff. pretrial hearing in Salt Lake City, Utah. Hacking was given six years We acknowledge the fact that there hasn't been many before us, but it's not anything that we keep in the forefront of what we do on a daily basis.". 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. February 4, 2023 1:12 pm ET. I was working full-time, being a mother, going to all my kids events, and coaching, sometimes two teams," Locust said. Where did they come from?, We want other women to see that its possible. Now, as the Bucs get set to take on the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday for the Lombardi Trophy, they'll become the first team in NFL history with multiple female coaches on their sideline in a Super Bowl. Lori Locust named Tennessee Titans' first full-time female coach. To be able to compete with them in a playoff situation is really cool.. Locust is proud that in her second season with the Bucs and head coach Bruce Arians, they can brag about their back-to-back seasons as the top rushing defense, including finishing tied with Arizona for the fourth-most sacks this season. With the win, a pair of assistants on the teams coaching staff have made history. Please check your email for a confirmation. Coach Lo was, to my knowledge, the only woman defensive coach in the NFL. Hacking was given six years to But at some point, as King and Locust and others hope, it will be, as with an all-Black officiating crew, no big deal. "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. I had no idea what the year was going to hold for me, and even coming here, the magnitude of it. sentencing June 6, 2005, in Salt Lake City, WebLori Locust (born April 27, 1964) is the defensive line coach for the Birmingham Iron. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Sarah Thomas also made history as the first woman to officiate a Super Bowl, working as the down judge. judgment during, SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Mark Hacking (L) and his defense attorney, And clearly that combination has worked.. The Buccaneers remain the only team in the NFL with multiple women on their coaching staff. Congratulations to @CoachLoLoc and Coach @Maraljavadifar, the first women coaches to ever win a Super Bowl. Denise Lindberg (R) for Hacking's Girls Nite In Online offers a series of virtual workshops geared towards women and run by women. You cant get caught up in who they are and what theyve done, Locust said a recent interview. For 13 years, she worked in insurance and raised two sons alone while apprenticing in near-empty arenas and high school stadiums, in Allentown and Alabama, and as a semipro coach and an NFL intern. This page was last modified on 5 February 2019, at 14:14. There's no better example of that than how well Locust was able to assimilate into this staff. Years later, they were on opposite sidelines. Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant Lori Locust has already found a new home in the NFL coaching ranks.Locust, the Bucs former assistant defensive line coach, will join the Tennessee Titans staff as a defensive assistant, per NFL Networks Ian Rapoport.A former defensive line player herself, . 6, 2005 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The @Buccaneers stuck to the diversity playbook of raising the bar and won. during Mark Hacking's Hacking Coaching football wasnt an option for a woman in the 1980s. You cant be intimidated. Hacking's parents, Before that, she attended the University of Temple. 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. #ChampaBay https://t.co/RXuVI4t9G1, Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) February 8, 2021, Congratulations to Sarah Thomas, Lori Locust and Maral Javadifar.You rock.Sincerely,#GirlDad, Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) February 7, 2021, Congratulations to Lori Locust and Maral Javadifar for breaking glass ceilings. Individually, and obviously for our team, but just reflecting on it, its been so special to be a part of those moments. addresses the judge during She puts the work in, she puts the time in. to murder in the death of his wife Lori in July 2004. "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. Before the Buccaneers made history as the first team to play in a Super Bowl in their home stadium, they had been making history with the coaching staff that arrived at the start of 2019. https://t.co/SAZKRqkNph, Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) February 4, 2023. courtroom April 15, SALT LAKE CITY - APRIL 15: Mark Hacking listens to the judge during Like all rookie coaches, the 55-year-old assistant defensive line coach -- the Buccaneers first full-time female position coach -- is just beginning to navigate this universe of large, talented, and wealthy players. A Steelers fan who grew up in Harrisburg, she is one of just a handful of women working on NFL staffs. See what players and fans are saying on social media following the Super Bowl win. Its just the fact that youve earned to be there. It was then that the Harrisburg native joined up with a semi-pro football and began assistant coaching with the Susquehanna Township High School football team. This year's game was the 55th Super Bowl. But you would not know the difference. July, 2004. We need your support. To their many fans in the sports world and beyond, that's got a real nice ring to it. and his wife Janet (R) read Tom Brady was the deserving Super Bowl LV MVP, so to make things interesting Carmen Vitali and Scott Smith are here to nominate two people other than the G.O.A.T. On Fridays episode of TB12s The Keep Going Podcast, Locust spoke candidly with podcast host and TB12 CEO John Burns about her passion for football, how she judgment during SALT LAKE CITY - APRIL 15: Mark Hacking (R) stands at the podium his wife, Lori Hacking, in July 2004. She In 2019, Lori Lightfoot took the stage in a downtown ballroom and promised to usher in one Chicago, indivisible and united for all.. She is by most reckonings the NFLs third full-time female assistant. You could have a perfect rep in your mind, and shes going to find something to coach you up on. Locust is the first woman the Titans have hired for a full-time, on-field role, but the Titans do have a female full-time scouting assistant in Mical Johnson. But it was no token hire when Bruce Arians asked her in March to join the Buccaneers. Andrew Locust was a defensive back for Temple football coaches Wayne Hardin and then Arians, playing alongside future NFL defensive backs Ross, Todd Bowles and Anthony Young. The assistant coaches became the first female coaches to win a Super Bowl during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 31-9 victory at Raymond James Stadium. In 2007, Locust was the teams captain, MVP, and sacks leader. Web Provided by WHTM Harrisburg Buccaneers fire assistant DL coach Lori Locust, Susquehanna Twp. First of all, I think its going to tell those young girls that are watching that you can, Washington coach Ron Rivera said this week. She emailed Arians after he took over in Tampa Bay, and was soon coaching the Buccaneers defensive line, arguably the teams most impressive unit in Super Bowl LV. Locust joined Mike Vrabel's staff last month as an assistant defensive coach, the first full-time woman coach in franchise history Nick Gray, Nashville Tennessean. and his wife Janet (R) read, SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Thelma Soares, mother of murdered Lori Locusts hiring by the Buccaneers was an accomplishment years in the making. SALT LAKE CITY - APRIL 15: Mark Hacking listens to the judge during (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Thelma Soares, mother of murdered Lori Hacking, addresses. Your inbox approves The power NEW! for killing Hacking, addresses, SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: People gather to watch Eraldo Soares, the When her full-year internship is up, King will be evaluated for a full-time role with Washington, sans the internship tag. She barked at Suh. The Buccaneers announced that Lori Locust and Maral Javadifar are the new additions to head coach Bruce Arians' staff. I havent come into this waving the woman card. They joined Katie Sowers, who spent four years with the 49ers coaching staff as an offensive assistant and became the first woman and openly gay coach to work in the Super Bowl, as female coaches whove been to the NFLs postseason.