She interned with the Baltimore Ravens, and worked as the assistant defensive line coach for the Birmingham Iron of the AAF (Alliance of American Football). After college, the Associated Press reports Locust went into the insurance industry, got married and had two sons. @BruceArians is a legend. 14 hours ago, by Samantha Brodsky murder in the death of Gil Athay, stand 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. Shes a grinder. The other reason? You could have a perfect rep in your mind, and shes going to find something to coach you up on. Trailblazers: Sarah Thomas, Lori Locust and Maral Javadifar. But at some point, as King and Locust and others hope, it will be, as with an all-Black officiating crew, no big deal. In the parking lot of one of her favorite restaurants, Lori Locust used to sleep in her car. He answered me in a half-hour, Locust said. 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 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. She knows exactly what she wants out of her players. You cant get caught up in who they are and what theyve done, Locust said a recent interview. This year's game was the 55th Super Bowl. "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. SALT LAKE CITY - APRIL 15: Mark Hacking is escorted out of the Javadifar said, "Work hard, reach your goals, prepare to be the best version of yourself, with whatever means that it takes.". Try a week on us. Among the moves for the #Bucs: The team is parting ways with assistant DL coach Lori Locust, source said. Frank is a columnist and general assignment reporter focusing on sports enterprise, projects and features. Both women are in their second seasons working under Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians. Though, she doesn't want to be known by that WebAssistant defensive line coach Lori Locust spoke to the media on Monday in advance of Super Bowl LV between the Chiefs and the Buccaneers. during his sentencing June 6, 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 I really do. In the parking lot of one of her favorite restaurants, Lori Locust used to sleep in her car. I know (Rivera) and I were on a panel once together on diversity. Aside from that, Locust didnt make a dime. tennis champion and social justice champion Billie Jean King tweeted. In March, as the doomed leagues only season neared its early conclusion, she attended a coaching clinic at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. It can be training, video, a lot of other avenues. Thank you very much in advance. Arians is well-known as one of the NFLs foremost champions of diversity. pretrial hearing in Salt Lake City, Utah. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. "M.J. (Maral Javadifar) and I are here to help Tampa Bay win," said Locust during Monday's Super Bowl media availability. breaks down as she, SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Mark Hacking reacts as the judge gives Chad Reuter provides a stock report from Indianapolis. Theyre good coaches.. Maral Javadifar, or "M.J." as she's known around the building on the other hand, may be an anomaly on strength staffs but it isn't really because she's a woman. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! In fact, the Bucs top four highest-ranking assistants are all Black: offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong and assistant head coach/run game coordinator Harold Goodwin. ), Some people sometimes feel like theres some magic wand somewhere and like, poof, all of a sudden, like, theres qualified women, Locust said. Locust is a graduate of Susquehanna Township High School in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. But for now, shes content to work with the Bucs defensive line for as long as they need her. Not only do the Buccaneers have multiple women on their coaching staff, they are also the only NFL team with an all-Black group of coordinators under Arians. A Super Bowl champion with the Bucs following the 2020 season, Locust She also knows how to trash talk when it's needed because what good coach doesn't? I was working full-time, being a mother, going to all my kids events, and coaching, sometimes two teams," Locust said. Former #Bucs assistant DL coach Lori Locust has landed in a new spot. Photo provided by Girls Nite In Online. Instead, in an indication of just how quickly and completely the Bucs have accepted their new defensive line assistant, Suh did exactly what Locust demanded, chasing down a ballcarrier on the next snap. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Eraldo Soares (R), father of murdered Lori Locust finds the story of how she and King reconnected to be a microcosm of how she is as a person and a coach. Hacking was given six years Below Locust talks about her experience as the assistant coach, that she's just a coach, and that's how she's been treated: #Bucs female assistant coach Lori Locust on being just another coach on teams staff. judgment during You sit down and talk Xs and Os with her, and you find that out pretty fast. I might look like an overnight success from the back end, but this has been a long time coming.. When she was sidelined by a knee injury, she turned to coaching her team, and later joined several other teams as an assistant, including the varsity team at her alma mater. But she wasnt out of work for long, joining Titans head coach Mike Vrabels staff on Feb. 4. In Arizona, her receiving corps had former Washington special-teamer and wide receiver Rashad Ross, who led the AAF in touchdown receptions. judgment during, SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Mark Hacking cries as the judge gives 19 hours ago, by Yerin Kim I got to see some of the posts and comments, and it was nice to be a part of it. I dont have a problem approaching any player.. July 2004. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Locust shared similar sentiments about King the focus and attention to detail and noted how calm and relaxed King always is. pic.twitter.com/kgUlMLuBeA. Shes tough, he said. judgment during, SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Mark Hacking (L) and his defense attorney, She was receiving interest from NBA teams as a therapist before Arians offered her a job: You have to understand, this is not just something thats done because of checking boxes, its not done because of an initiative, its who [Bruce] is and has always been, Locust said. Harrisburg native and Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant coach Lori Locust will be presenting on June 24 with Girls Nite In Online. It sounds bad to say, but thats never been my motivation, she said. plans and enthusiasm Assistant strength and conditioning coach Maral Javadifar, right, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during Super Bowl LV. Other women in the Buccaneers organization include scouting assistant Carly Helfand and director of football research Jackie Davidson. She puts the work in, she puts the time in. WebLocust 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 female full-time assistant coach. Web Provided by WHTM Harrisburg Buccaneers fire assistant DL coach Lori Locust, Susquehanna Twp. Diversity wins. He was doing a favor for Birmingham general manager Joe Pendry, who had hired the former Temple coach as a Kansas City Chiefs assistant in 1989. Hacking, addresses, SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Thelma Soares, mother of Lori Hacking, A student at Temple University the same time Arians was head coach of the football program there, Locust met her future boss only a handful of times, according to PennLive. 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. SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Janet Hacking, Mark Hacking's mother, Javadifar, age 30, became the assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Buccaneers in 2020, so this was also her second season. It doesnt necessarily have to be coaching. Both she and Ross hope the free Ross/Redman Football Camp 6-8 p.m. daily through Friday at Paulsboro High School will attract girls hoping to find a career in the sport. Locust has experience with multiple NFL franchises, beginning her coaching career at the professional level with the Baltimore Ravens in 2018 as a defensive line SALT LAKE CITY - APRIL 15: Mark Hacking is escorted out of the I drove thousands of miles to attend conferences and put myself in a position to listen, learn, and network.. She'll be part of Girls Nite In Online's "Women in the NFL" series. Coach Locust said in an Instagram post, "I'm a coach who happens to be a woman, not a woman who happens to coach." According to her Twitter bio, Locust will work as a defensive quality control coach. 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. To keep creating 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! It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. "My name was being circulated through other professional sports and in the NFL, there aren't many PT/Strength coaches or strength coaches who are also PTs," she explained in how she ended up in Tampa. By HITC Sport. WebOne Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant coach didnt START playing tackle football until nearly age 40: Lori Locust, the teams second-year assistant defensive-line coach. This week, Locust is back in the Philadelphia area, volunteering at Rosss football camp that started Monday. Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive line assistant Lori Locust is joining the Tennessee Titans, she announced on Twitter on Saturday. Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady named Super Bowl MVP for the fifth time in his career as he leads Tampa Bay to its second Super Bowl championship in franchise history. In 2007, Locust was the teams captain, MVP, and sacks leader. Your inbox approves The power Pro Football Focus had Ross as the highest-graded receiver through the seven weeks of the AAF season, and in her lone season with Dartmouth, the Big Green went 9-1 and were co-Ivy League champions. On Saturday, the Tennessee Titans made franchise history by hiring their first full-time female coach in Lori Locust, who hearing April 15, 2005 The Buccaneers announced that Lori Locust and Maral Javadifar are the new additions to head coach Bruce Arians' staff. Denise Lindberg (R) for Hacking's But, after leaving Temple and returning to Harrisburg, she said she did what I was supposed to do, getting a full-time job in the insurance industry. By that point, her ambition was clear, and in 2017 she took a job guiding the defensive linemen, linebackers and special teams with the now-defunct Lehigh Valley Steelhawks of the National Arena League. Bowles, her old Temple pal and the Buccaneers new defensive coordinator, said Locust has fit in quickly and well. Buy Titans Tickets. 20 hours ago. Lori Locust (born April 27, 1964) is the defensive line coach for the Birmingham Iron. We need your support. Lori Locust's senior football journey started at Central PA Vipers, a women's football team. I left Birmingham for Tampa on a Wednesday, and by the next Tuesday the AAF was out of business, she said. When King stepped on the sideline Saturday night, she became the first Black female coach to work in a playoff game. Fast forward to now and that's probably one of the reasons she was able to fit right in. 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, . #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. killing his wife, Lori Hacking, in July 2004. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Buccaneers assistant defensive line coach Lori Locust and assistant strength and conditioning coach Maral Javadifar are now the first female coaches to ever work on a Super Bowl-winning staff. She attributes the success to getting the fundamentals down and not overlooking details. Who Is Lori Locust? "And I mean, like we acknowledge the fact there hasn't been many before us, but it's not anything that we kind of keep in the forefront of what we do on a daily basis.". Locust, who sat in the coaches box and helped defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, known for his exotic blitzes, got a birds-eye view of what she thought the Bucs could capitalize upon. to keep expanding and making Murderpedia a better site, but we really having signed Last season, Katie Sowers became the first female to coach in a Super Bowl. She married Andrew, had two kids (Alex, 29, and Bryce, 22), divorced, and in 2004, at age 40, began to play womens semipro football as a defensive lineman with the Central Penn Vipers. Salt Lake City, Utah. the media after Mark ESPN - Turron Tom Brady's rumored model girlfriend is actually already married to an Olympian. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's cap hit might be rising in 2023, but owner Jerry Jones believes his quarterback has the ability to bridge the gap in any talent the roster might lose because of it. I was just talking with Joe Pendry about you. He said hed be in touch. 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. And shes not afraid. But you would not know the difference. It doesnt matter where youre from or what your makeup is. Gilbert Athay But it was no token hire when Bruce Arians asked her in March to join the Buccaneers. Locusts old high school hired her in 2009 as an assistant coach, a job she kept for almost a decade. Buccaneers assistant defensive-line coach Lori Locust on the field during minicamp. Just like last year, the Bucs will have a lot of work to do on their 2021 roster before and after free agency begins but Head Coach Bruce Arians believes the team can keep a 'special' group together because the sky is the limit for them, Tom Brady threw three touchdown passes and won his fourth Super Bowl MVP award as his Buccaneers throttled Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, 31-9, to become the first team ever to win a Super Bowl on its home turf, QB Tom Brady won his fifth Super Bowl MVP award on Sunday night, and deservedly so, but he says the Bucs' overwhelming 31-9 victory over the Chiefs was the result of an 'amazing group of guys' coming together when it mattered, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS. #Titans first female coach will work with Ryan Crow and OLBs. Shes very detail-oriented, very organized. And clearly that combination has worked.. Sowers, the 49ers aide, contacted Locust and told her she needed to reach out to Tampa Bay. Coach Lo was, to my knowledge, the only woman defensive coach in the NFL. I had no idea Bruce was going to be there, and I didnt know that Joe had talked to Bruce on my behalf, Locust said. The more she coached, the more she enjoyed it and the more she was noticed. She demands excellence, but she does so in such a laid-back way. Definitely a special moment for the league and women in sports, in general. 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. She is a Prince Georges County native and is a proud graduate of the University of Maryland. years to life for the murder of of Lori For Lori Locust, the path to becoming an NFL coach didnt just happen overnight. pleaded guilty Javadifar said that the Bucs are doing a great job offering women and other people the opportunity to show what they can do: Female #Bucs assistant strength and conditioning coach Maral Javadifar on the opportunity to coach in #NFL: These opportunities are available in the right organizations. #gobucs pic.twitter.com/UPw8WuX2Jx, Both Locust and Javadifar prefer to be recognized just as coaches instead of female coaches, but are also aware of their important role in setting a path for future women in coaching and sports. And people really dont know, like, the backstory or they dont know that youve coached for years and years, and its like, Oh, wow. And that was on top of working full time and raising her two sons. After graduating from Susquehanna Township High School in 1982, Locust was steered to Temple by a guidance counselor. six years to life for killing his wife, Lori, in July 2004. Oh, by the way, they all happened to be African American. But I want them to be qualified and experienced. 2005 in Salt Lake City, Utah. July, 2004. Mike Moraitis. Head Coach Bruce Arians brought with him the most diverse staff ever seen by the league in more ways than one. Last year, Katie Sowers was hired to work with the San Francisco 49ers offense. But she wasnt out of work for long, joining Titans head coach Mike Vrabels staff on Feb. 4. They tower over me, and every once in a while I realize just how much bigger they are, she said. 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 Locusts team, she explained, wasnt nearly as good as Kings. It was a curious choice and not just because she was a girl. TAMPA, Fla. -- Lori Locust and Maral Javadifar, Super Bowl champs. Utah. Sarah Thomas also made history as the first woman to officiate a Super Bowl, working as the down judge. six years to life There were four years of arena football and mentoring and coaching showcase teams. If teams cannot find success on the ground, Tampa Bays ferocious pass rush can get to work. Get daily fitness inspiration right in your inbox. She didnt get one in 2017. Hacking was given It was really cool to see the love. She played basketball at Pace University and earned a doctorate in physical therapy. It wasnt until she turned 40 that Lori Locust decided to go for her dream. Locust entered the NFL in 2018 as an intern for the Baltimore Ravens. 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. Then we should be able to get an opportunity just like anybody else.. When the group broke into separate discussions, King and Locust were only a person away. She does everything the right way.. #SuperBowl #EarnedNotGiven https://t.co/betxrR8bcm, Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) February 8, 2021, Congrats to @CoachLoLoc and @Maraljavadifar - first two female coaches in the history of football to win a Super Bowl. Hacking was given six years to his plea agreement April Locust joined Mike Vrabel's staff last month as an assistant defensive coach, the first full-time woman coach in franchise history While her parents took her to occasional high school football games, neither was a fan of the sport. Lori Locust is the assistant defensive line coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant defensive line coach would do the same thing when driving to Old Dominion for spring football: go down for the day, take in all she could from her day at the field, find a parking lot to sleep in, then return home the next day. Instead, she emphasized that the important thing was the path and the work it took to get to that point. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will hold a socially distant boat parade on Wednesday, February 10, beginning at 1 p.m. in celebration of their Super Bowl LV victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. I think its important. SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Mark Hacking (L) and his defense attorney, Super Bowl Champs! We had a good referee crew out there that handled everything the way it needed to be handled. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. But she wasnt out of work for long, joining Titans head coach Mike Vrabels staff on Feb. 4. Locusts knowledge of the game, King said, is second to none, and shes not afraid to ask questions and learn more. Her and Maral Javadifar also. Last year, Katie Sowers became the first woman to coach in a game. Locust emailed Arians, reminding him that 36 years before they had met at Temple. History was made tonight! 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.". ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers/Tampa Bay Buccaneers. his pretrial Locust had been the Bucs' assistant defensive line coach since 2019 and was with the team for the Super Bowl 55 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Super Bowl LVII: Watch parties, performances & more. Locusts family always came first, but she committed herself to those long drives and spending that money because her passion was something she couldnt dismiss. SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Thelma Soares, mother of Lori Hacking, She was an offensive assistant for the San Francisco 49ers in their loss to the Chiefs. So when she was asked earlier this week about what it meant to make history with her friends, Washington Football Team full-year coaching intern Jennifer King and Tampa Bay assistant strength and conditioning coach Maral Javadifar, on Saturday evening the first time there were full-time female coaches on opposing teams in a playoff game well, she was less focused on that. A former Temple student who grew up a Steelers fan in Harrisburg, Locust is one of just a handful of women working on NFL staffs. Shes not afraid at all.. The Tennessee Titans are adding former Tampa Buccaneers defensive line assistant Lori Locust to the staff as a defensive assistant, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Saturday. SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Eraldo Soares (R), father of murdered Lori Locust is at the forefront of what the NFL hopes will be a pipeline of women entering coaching and front-office jobs. a statement to the press after their "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. Hacking pleaded guilty to This page was last modified on 5 February 2019, at 14:14. to life for The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are Super Bowl champions after routing the Kansas City Chiefs, 31-9. https://www.bhamwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Lori_Locust&oldid=154122, Bean, Josh (February 4, 2019) "Im a coach who happens to be a woman: Meet Irons gender-bending assistant coach.". 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. 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. In her first season in Washington, King has worked with future Hall of Famer Adrian Peterson, as well as rookie Antonio Gibson, whose 11 touchdowns are three shy of the franchise record for a rookie, and J.D. During his time with the Arizona Cardinals, he hired the leagues first female coach when he brought on assistant coaching intern Jen Welter. Locust will be sharing her journey and the lessons shes learned along the way at a free online seminar with the Girls Nite In Online platform at 4 p.m. on June 24. "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). The ones we have are overly qualified.". Douglas and Janet Hacking, watch at bottom left. SALT LAKE CITY - APRIL 15: Mark Hacking (R) with his attorney, Hacking You can tune in for Locusts talk by going to gnionline.com. I think it really is. "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.". A Steelers fan who grew up in Harrisburg, she is one of just a handful of women working on NFL staffs. Hacking, in July 2004. 6, 2005 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Born in Philadelphia in 1964, Locust was adopted by a Harrisburg couple soon afterward. Thanks for visiting PennLive. to life for killing his wife, Lori She continued coaching after college, and worked her way up to the NFL. Soon enough, they'll get their Super Bowl rings, just like Tom Brady and the rest of the Buccaneers. Hacking was sentenced to six years to life Its just getting the opportunity. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. It's because of her unique and incredibly qualified background. There were five or six years of mens semi-pro coaching.