San Francisco 49ers break new ground hiring first openly LGBT coach

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KGO) -- Katie Sowers, 31, had just finished a summer internship with the 49ers when coach Kyle Shanahan offered her a full-time assistant coaching gig with the team.

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She is the first female on the coaching staff in 49ers history.

She is also the first openly LGBT coach in the NFL.

While the team will not comment on an employee's sexual orientation, Coach Shanahan said last week, "She's a hard worker. You don't even notice her because she just goes to work and does what's asked and because of that she's someone we would like to keep around."

Sowers told SBNation's Outsports website that there are many people who identify as LGBT in the NFL -- they just don't feel comfortable being public about their sexual orientation.

49ers fans we talked with in the South Bay say the coach's gender and LGBT status don't matter to them as long as she gets the job done.

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