The Philadelphia Eagles have made history in multiple ways during this NFL season. They’ve set records for sacks, wide receiver yardage, and quarterback rushing touchdowns. In a Super Bowl that features two African American quarterbacks for the first time, there’s another historical event that will be remembered forever by hopeful young females everywhere.
Eagles assistant coach Autumn Lockwood will be the first African American woman to coach in a Super Bowl. She will be the fourth overall woman to do so and Autumn was only one of 15 female coaches in the NFL during the 2022 season.
Who Is Autumn Lockwood?
Autumn Lockwood joined the Eagles in August of 2022 and is the assistant sports performance coach. Before coaching for the Eagles, she was a director and coordinator at the University of Houston and East Tennessee State University, respectively. She has strength and conditioning certifications and is a graduate of the University of Arizona, where she earned her bachelor of science degree in criminal justice. She earned a master’s degree in sports management at East Tennessee State University as well.
She has worked in multiple sports, including cheer, basketball, and football. She loved soccer herself, experiencing success as a player at Arizona. At the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, she became an assistant football strength and conditioning coach intern. Autumn is the daughter of college football assistant David Lockwood, so the love for coaching and conditioning runs in the family.
She made history during her time with ETSU Athletics, becoming the first woman on the strength and conditioning staff in a full-time capacity. She has also had internships with the Atlanta Falcons and Nike sportswear. What a resume!
Grateful for these ladies and for all women in sports that have led the way and have been the light for me and so many others! 🫶🏽👑
Happy National Women and Girls in Sports Day 💚 pic.twitter.com/KsImuw2RJ2
— Autumn Lockwood (@AMLockwood_) February 1, 2023
Speaking of the big game… have you seen the latest Eagles Super Bowl odds?
Autumn’s Bottom Line
According to her LinkedIn profile, Autumn’s coaching philosophy is based on consistent improvement. She wants success for the athletes she coaches on and off the field, and wants them to be better than they were before they met her. Complacency is a no-no and self-awareness is king. She loves to analyze the movement of athletes to determine where they can become stronger, and move to the best of their abilities.
She also recognizes that different things work for different athletes and that the best programs should be available. The goal of strength, conditioning, and performance coaches is to improve overall player performance and lessen injuries. Autumn gets hired by the Eagles in 2022, and combined with the rest of the staff, the Eagles have one of their healthier seasons in franchise history. Coincidence? We think not!
How cool would it be for Autumn Lockwood to be the first African American woman to coach in a Super Bowl AND win it? With such a stacked 2022-2023 Philadelphia Eagles roster, the odds are in her favor.
It would be an incredible and historic achievement, during black history month to boot. If you haven’t already, take this time to show women in sports that they are appreciated and valued. May they continue to make further strides.
Since the announcement, Autumn has received an outpouring of love on social media, with many vowing to root for her to make more history.
She is an inspiration to women all over the world that have a passion for sports. It’s time to get that ring. Go birds, and go Autumn.
