49ERS’ SOWERS FIRST OPENLY LGBT NFL COACH
Earlier this month, Katie Sowers became just the second woman hired by an NFL team as a full-time coach. The offensive assistant for the San Francisco 49ers made more history Tuesda, when she came out publicly as a lesbian in a report by Outsports, making her the first openly LGBT coach in league history.
“No matter what you do in life, one of the most important things is to be true to who you are,” Sowers told Outsports. “There are so many people who identify as LGBT in the NFL, as in any business, that do not feel comfortable being public about their sexual orientation.”
Sowers, 31, was retained by the 49ers as an assistant wide receivers coach after she served as an intern for several months as part of the Bill Walsh NFL Coaching Diversity Fellowship.
Raiders, Penn end holdout.
CALIF.» Pro ALAMEDA,
Bowl left tackle Donald Penn has ended his holdout with the Oakland Raiders.
Penn reported for practice on Wednesday, ending his 26-day holdout. Penn was looking for an improved contract but general manager Reggie McKenzie said earlier in training camp that he would not negotiate a new deal with Penn until he arrived at camp.
The Raiders could have fined Penn $40,000 for each day of camp he missed but the team is not expected to do that.
Penn is entering the final year of an $11.9 million, two-year contract. He is scheduled to earn $5.8 million in base salary this season with another $1.3 million in incentives and bonuses.
Giants waive Bowie amid domestic charges.
EAST
» The New York Giants have waived Michael Bowie days after finding out that the offensive lineman had been charged with assault and battery in Oklahoma.
Redskins’ Reed returns.
Jordan Reed is back at practice with the Washington Redskins.
The 27-year-old tight end made his on-field debut Wednesday after missing almost the first month of practices with a toe injury. Reed missed the team’s first two preseason games and was activated off the physically unable to perform list on Sunday.
Footnotes.
Pro Football Hall of Famers Kellen Winslow and Harry Carson are supporting Cyrus Mehri’s candidacy for executive director of the players’ union. The civil rights attorney who cowrote the league’s Rooney Rule announced that he intends to challenge DeMaurice Smith for the top job at the NFL Players Association. … The Jets have signed tight end Brandon Barnes and released wide receiver Marquess Wilson. … Chad Henne will start Jacksonville’s preseason game against Carolina, a change that could signal the end of Blake Bortles’ career with the Jaguars.