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Bucs hire first full-time female coaches in franchise history

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made history by becoming the first NFL team with two female coaches on staff.

The team added Maral Javadifar as assistant strength and conditioning coach and Lori Locust as assistant defensive line coach. Both are the first full-time female coaches in the franchise's history.

"I know how hard it can be to get that first opportunity to coach at the highest level of professional football," said Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians. "Sometimes, all you need is the right organization to offer up the opportunity. The Glazer family and our general manager, Jason Licht, were extremely supportive of my decision, and I know Maral and Lori will be great additions to my coaching staff.

"I have known Lori going back to my days at Temple University and I've seen firsthand just how knowledgeable and passionate she is about this game. I was equally impressed with Maral's background in performance training and physical therapy and I know she will be a valuable asset to our strength and conditioning program."

Javadifar most recently worked as a physical therapist at Avant Physical Therapy in Seattle, after completing her Sports Physical Therapy Residency at Virginia Commonwealth in August of 2018.

Locust joins the Bucs staff after working as the defensive line coach for the Birmingham Iron of the Alliance of American Football during the league's inaugural season this spring. In 2018, Locust served as a defensive coaching intern for the Baltimore Ravens during the team's training camp.