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Super Bowl 2023: Eagles assistant Autumn Lockwood set to become first Black woman to coach at game

By Callie Lawson-Freeman, Yahoo Sports

New York Giants v Philadelphia Eagles PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 09: Detail view of Philadelphia Eagles logo on a flag waved during the fourth quarter against the New York Giants at Lincoln Financial Field on December 9, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia defeats New York in overtime 23-17. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)

By Callie Lawson-Freeman, Yahoo Sports

No matter the outcome, Super Bowl LVII is making history in more ways than one. When the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs clash for the title on Feb. 12, Eagles assistant performance coach Autumn Lockwood will stand on the sidelines as the first Black woman to coach in the event’s history.

Lockwood joined the Eagles in August of 2022 after earning a master’s degree in sports management from East Tennessee State University, where she worked primarily with the men’s and women’s basketball teams. Before that, she was a soccer player at Arizona State, where she honed her skills directing the strength and conditioning program along with warm ups for the University’s cheerleading team.

A good warm up is crucial to prime performance, something that Lockwood was captured facilitating before the NFC Championship game. In a reporter's video, she can be seen emphasizing proper form for cornerback Avonte Maddox who had just returned from an ankle injury before the blowout win.

She eventually took her talents to University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she worked as the football team’s strength and conditioning assistant during the 2017-2018 season. As noted by the university’s football communications director, Lockwood is also the daughter of a former UNLV coach. Her father, David, was a starting cornerback himself for West Virginia. He also worked as a defensive coordinator in the Big Ten Conference and coached cornerbacks at University of Arizona.

Her milestone Super Bowl appearance comes as four of the six full-time women coaches in the league are women of color. Washington Commanders assistant running backs coach Jennifer King is also Black.

Eagles’ Jalen Hurts and Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes will also make history as the first Black quarterbacks to face off. In another Super Bowl first, Travis and Jason Kelce will become the first siblings to compete against each other.

In a league where progress can be slow, these historic moments will inspire future coaches and players for years to come.

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