Among the many proposed rules that the NFL will consider at next week’s owners’ meeting is one that recognizes the increasing role of women in pro football.
The 49ers proposed a league resolution that “Requires all NFL stadiums by 2021 to have three separate and permanent locker rooms to be exclusively designated for female football staff on game days as follows: game officials, home club staff members, and visiting club staff members.”
San Francisco has a female coach on its staff in offensive assistant Katie Sowers, and her presence on the coaching staff may be why the 49ers were the team that wanted to make sure female staff members have the accommodations they need.
Sowers was the second female coach hired on an NFL staff; the first was Kathryn Smith of the Bills, and there are also women working in roles like trainers and medical staff members. The NFL also has a female on-field official in Sarah Thomas and a female replay official in Terri Valenti.
