The NFL’s female coaching surge is here. Just look to the weight room

Kansas City Chiefs rookie Ashton Gillotte underwent intense teenage training under his mother Veronica Gillotte, which included Spartan Races, CrossFit (ranking 21st in Southeast), weightlifting state championships, and earned him a spot on college football's "Freaks List." His college teammates called the regimen "crazy" when experiencing it firsthand. Veronica similarly trained all three children: soccer/football-playing daughter Alexandra and MMA fighter son Devin.

The NFL has significantly increased female coaching representation, employing 15 full-time female coaches in 2024 – a 47% rise since 2021 and 1,400% since 2015. Notably, 6 of these 15 coaches work in strength, conditioning, and performance departments, reflecting a natural entry pipeline for women into these roles. NFL Women's Forum founder Sam Rapoport attributes this growth to existing sports pipelines beyond tackle football.

NFL performance staffs typically comprise 4-6 members responsible for roster-wide physical readiness, injury rehabilitation, and game-day preparation. The cross-sport transferability of strength/conditioning expertise has accelerated female integration into these positions.

Emily Zaler exemplifies this trajectory, having worked for the NBA's Knicks, NFL's Broncos, WNBA's Liberty, and currently the 76ers as an assistant strength coach/sports scientist. Her success stems from deeply investing in individual athletes' development journeys.