Jen Welter Runs the Ball to Become First Woman to Play Contact Position in Men's Pro Football (VIDEO)
Last Saturday in Texas, history was made in men's professional football – by a woman.
In the third quarter of the Indoor Football League game between the Texas Revolution and the North Texas Crunch, 36-year-old Revolution player Jennifer Welter ran the ball to become the first woman to play a contact position in a men's pro football game. Previous female players had kicked field goals or held the ball for kickers.
Welter took a handoff at the 2-yard-line to run it in for a score, but the 5-foot-2, 130-pound running back was stopped by a 6-foot-4, 245-pound Crunch defender. Revolution coach Chris Williams gave her two more tries to punch it in for a touchdown, but she was stopped both times. (Watch video of the three plays below.)
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The Revolution beat the Crunch 64-30.
Welter knows the gridiron well, having played for the Dallas Diamonds in the Women's Football Alliance since 2004. She also played rugby for Team USA at the 2010 and 2013 Women's World Championships.
The Revolution's final roster isn't set for the season, but even if Welter doesn't make the team, she has plenty to do with her time. The Addison, Tex. resident works as a sports psychologist, personal trainer, endorsement model and motivational speaker.
Whether or not she makes the team, Saturday will always remain a milestone in her life.
"This is something no one ever thought would be done and I really feel like I have the honor to play with (my team) and play for a lot of the girls that I've played with and played against across the country," Welter told For The Win. "It was a big honor."
Here are Jen Welter's three goal line runs from Saturday's game.
