NFL creates new role to address lack of women in coaching, scouting

The lack of women in NFL coaching and scouting roles is being addressed by the league in the form of a new role filled by former women's pro football player Sam Rapoport.

Rapoport has been named as a director of football development. She will be in charge of identifying women who are knowledgeable about the game, getting them prepared to join the industry, and putting them in positions to make proper connections.

"My role is to create programming to show them that the pipeline is open to them and create that pipeline for females to enter into positions that were traditionally held by men," Rapoport told ESPN's Jane McManus on Tuesday.

Since the Ray Rice controversy in 2014, the NFL has been searching for ways to broaden the diversity of its employees and find more women to hire. At Super Bowl 50, commissioner Roger Goodell announced a change similar to the Rooney Rule that will force teams to consider and interview at least one female candidate for managerial hires.

The Arizona Cardinals hired Jen Welter (pictured above) for a preseason coaching internship in 2015. The Buffalo Bills brought in Kathryn Smith as a full-time quality-control coach this offseason, while Sarah Thomas joined the NFL's officiating crew last year.

Bringing in Rapoport represents another big step in the NFL's push to provide more opportunities for women to fill coaching and scouting positions.

"In such a strategic hire as this, we needed to have an individual that is passionate and knowledgeable in this space," NFL vice president of football operations Troy Vincent said. "Sam is an excellent fit."

Rapoport is a native Canadian, and played quarterback for the Montreal Blitz of the Independent Women's Football League. She has worked in football since 2003, starting as a marketing intern for the NFL and also spending time in football development for USA Football.