The Lead
As we continue to celebrate Women's History Month on DenverBroncos.com, so too is the NFL.
In a recently aired feature, NFL Network put the spotlight on Broncos Assistant Player Performance Coach Emily Zaler, who became the franchise's first female full-time coach in 2020.
Even from an early age, her mother recalled, Zaler was "very determined in whatever she was doing" and "had a love for sports and a natural ability."
That guided her to her eventual career, as she played soccer at the University of Oregon and learned to love being in the weight room.
"As an incoming freshman, I was required by our coaching staff to go into the weight room for extra lifts and was told I had to hit certain numbers before I would ever be able to play at a high level," Zaler said. "My time in the weight room was a sense of empowerment. To see myself getting stronger week over week, that's really where I discovered that this is what I want to do."