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The significance of Autumn Lockwood’s historic Super Bowl win

Credit: Instagram/Autumn Lockwood
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Brighton, UK
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The first Black woman to a coach a team to victory in the NFL’s biggest game, Lockwood’s win is a triumph worth celebrating – and a reminder of the barriers still left to break. 

Autumn Lockwood, the Philadelphia Eagles’ associate performance coach, is the first Black woman coach to lead their team to a Super Bowl win. That’s a big deal, not just for her, but for the entire sporting world. To put it simply, Lockwood has officially made history.

The NFL has been a notoriously exclusive club when it comes to race and gender, and while progress has been made in recent decades, leadership coaching roles have remained overwhelmingly white and male.

Back in 2023, Lockwood became the first Black woman to coach at a Super Bowl when the Eagles took on the Chiefs. And her presence within the American Football sphere signals that change is happening – albeit slowly.

A former Division soccer player with a master’s degree in sports management, Lockwood has spent her life working in strength and conditioning, earning her place in a field that still offers limited opportunities to women.

Her journey speaks to relentless dedication and expertise. Within a year of joining the Eagles in 2022, Lockwood was standing on the sidelines of one of the biggest games in the global sporting calendar.

‘I am constantly finding ways for athletes to get stronger, faster, and be able to move efficiently,’ Lockwood writes in her Linkedin profile, speaking to her the core of her work as a conditioning coach; helping others to find their strength.

Last year, she spoke to the NSCA Coaching Podcast about the mentality it takes to get to where she is. It’s a journey that’s taken her from former criminal justice student to NFL legend at just 31.

‘Getting in the door, it’s all about that opportunity and what you do with that, and how you show up everyday… Once you’re there, it’s really, Okay, I’m going to observe everything. I’m going to be a sponge. I’m going to be so hands-on. I’m going to be an extra set of hands. I’m going to do everything that I can to help this team, this staff, all these departments that go into building a championship culture,’ Lockwood said.

Mission accomplished.

But it’s crucial to highlight the parameters in which women still feel they have to operate within the sports industry. Lockwood’s tenacity and drive have undeniably been key, but without the opportunity to first – as she says – ‘get in the door’, the possibility of cultivating a career within the NFL would be almost impossible. It’s vital that we ask ourselves who operates that door, and why.

The National Football League is notorious for lagging behind when it comes to evolving cultural norms. A sentiment reflected in the celebration of Lockwood’s success. ‘Her groundbreaking victory represents a seismic shift in a league that has long struggled with representation,’ wrote Kimberly Wilson in Essence.

‘In a sport where coaching staffs have been overwhelmingly male and white, Lockwood’s success carves a path forward for Black women aspiring to break barriers in professional football.’

Programs like the NFL’s Women’s Careers in Football Forum have played a role in this shift, creating pathways for women to break into coaching and front-office roles.

Women reportedly now hold a total of 15 full-time assistant coach positions within the league, a 47% increase from the 2021-2022 season.

But Lockwood’s success makes it clear: representation isn’t just about getting women through the door. It’s about making sure they thrive once they’re there.

Women in coaching – especially Black women – are still vastly underrepresented within the NFL. There are currently only two Black women in coaching roles – Jennifer King (who works with the Bears), and Lockwood. Most teams still don’t have women in high-ranking coaching roles, and leadership positions remain largely out of reach.

‘Firsts’ like Lockwood’s are certainly grounds for celebration. But they shouldn’t be the last. Ideally, stories like these would be the norm rather than an exception worthy of avid news coverage.

Lockwood’s dedication to opening up further opportunities for minority women within the NFL is a reflection of her own hard work. It’s a responsibility she takes seriously, but it shouldn’t be hers alone to carry.

The burden of change must rest on the institutions that have historically excluded women and people of color – not just on those breaking the barriers themselves.

Her success is proof that talent rises, that perseverance pays off, and that the walls keeping women out of professional sports are cracking. For now that’s something worth celebrating.

Writer Brighton, UK

I’m Flo, (She/Her) a remote writer at Thred. I recently completed a Masters in Visual Anthropology, and seek to interrogate the ways digital spaces can amplify marginalised voices in the arts and cultural sectors. Follow me on LinkedIn or ping me some feedback via email.

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