DEREK MULLER/JASON REDMON

The Super Bowl is over and there is a 2013 NFL Champion, as well as a 2013 NCAA National Champion, but it is 2014 and there is more football to be played. This year there will be a small difference and that comes in a five foot two inch 130 lb. woman who has signed on to play running back in a professional football league.

There are pro female football leagues, and there are some female referees and kickers scattered on the high school and collegiate levels, but never has one played running back in a professional men’s league.

Before this Lisa Horton did play quarterback for the NAFL’s Pittsburgh Colts, but she did not have the resume of one Dr. Jennifer Welter. It was made official on February 8^th 2014 as Dr. Jennifer Welter reported to camp for her new team The Texas Revolution of the Indoor Football League.

General Manager Tim Brown, former Heisman Trophy winner, had initially contacted Welter for a one day full workout with the team last season and she promptly said no. “I didn’t want to disrespect the game. I love Football, and don’t want to do anything to tarnish it. I said if I’m going to do something like this then I want to go all the way,” Dr. Jenn Welter said recently on The Sideline Radio show.

Welter is a 1996 graduate of Vero Beach High School, who went on to study at Boston College and that’s where she found her love for contact sports playing Rugby for four years. Welter earned an MVP award and was recruited for the under 23 National Team, but due to her size retired instead.

Jennifer was contacted by the Massachutes Mutiny, an NFL-rules, full-contact women’s football team almost immediately after retiring from rugby, and was given a try out and made the team. Welter has played a total of 14 years in Women’s Football. She is an eight-time Pro Bowl LineBacker, has captured championships four times in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2008, and also earned a Gold Medal with Team USA who went unbeaten.

Throughout her football career, Welter continued her education and in 2013 earned her PhD in Psychology.  The year 2013 was a good year for Welter on and off the field, as she won her second gold medal and was among the players honored at the White House on October 21^st by the Council on Women and Girls.  Welter said “This is not a publicity stunt, if it was and I didn’t care about the game I could have just taken the training day and been done. Am I nervous? Yes, but not about facing the other players (men) but playing a different position on the opposite side of the ball.”

“Football is the greatest sport in the world, and I want to be able to use this opportunity to give women like myself a chance to play the game we love against the best.” Find out more at www.jenwelter.com Twitter @jwelter47 and Facebook.com/jenwelter47