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49ers' Katie Sowers becomes NFL's first openly gay coach, second female to hold full-time post

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The San Francisco 49ers officially hired Katie Sowers for the 2017 season last week, making her the team's first female assistant coach. She's also the second full-time female assistant coach in NFL history.

Sowers joins the Buffalo Bills quality control coach Kathryn Smith, who last year became the league's first female full-time assistant.

On Tuesday, Sowers, 31, made more history, becoming the NFL's first openly gay coach. In an interview with Outsports.com, Sowers discussed her sexual orientation for the first time on the record.

"No matter what you do in life, one of the most important things is to be true to who you are," Sowers told Outsports.