The Washington Redskins completed a history-making hire yesterday when they named Jennifer King on their coaching staff.

King became the first full-time African-American female assistant coach in NFL history when she signed her contract with the NFC East team.

The North Carolina native was the Panthers' first female intern and worked under newly-appointed Redskins head coach Ron Rivera during the 2018 and 2019 off-seasons.

Rivera said: “Jennifer is a bright young coach and will be a great addition to our staff.

“Her familiarity with my expectations as a coach and my first-hand knowledge of her work ethic and preparation were big factors in bringing her to the Redskins.”

King, who played 11 seasons in the Women’s Football Alliance, will primarily work with running back coach Randy Jordan.

She joins the Redskins from Dartmouth College where she served as offensive assistant to the 2019 Ivy League Champions.

King first met Rivera through the NFL Women’s Careers in Football Forum which aimed to introduce women to careers in football operations.

The seven-time All-American quarterback told ESPN in 2018 she was hoping to set an example for other little girls dreaming of working the sidelines of football’s biggest games.  

She said: “It’s kind of like the movie Black Panther. There was never a black superhero and now that there’s a superhero it’s like, holy cow!

“For the little girls, that’s just what I want for them. To let them know, if this is what they want, they can do it.”

King’s appointment comes just two weeks after Katie Sowers became the first woman and openly gay person coach in a Super Bowl.

And pioneering coach King believes she could be one of many to come.

She said: “I feel the league is very serious about this. They’re constantly working to get qualified women into positions. It’s not like they’re going out selecting random people.  

“They’re putting people in place not just to be there but to make an impact wherever they go."