Bucs hold inaugural ‘She is Football Weekend’ to increase NFL opportunities for women

More than 800 women filled a concourse inside Raymond James Stadium on the first Friday morning in March for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ inaugural “She is Football Weekend.”

They heard from Buccaneers co-owner Darcie Glazer Kassewitz, NFL executive Dasha Smith and various female leaders across many industries, participated in a full-day summit featuring small group breakout sessions, and watched a live recording of the “Calm Down with Erin & Charissa” podcast featuring NFL reporters Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson. All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs also joined them for an interview.

The two-day event was the latest example of the Buccaneers’ dedication to opening more doors and increasing opportunities for women in the NFL. The weekend highlighted women working in the community, showcased girls who play flag football, and helped provide them with valuable mentorship.

Four years ago, Lori Locust and Maral Javadifar became the first female coaches on a team to win the Super Bowl when Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and the Buccaneers beat Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, 31-9.

The Glazer family has a goal to create the next generation of female leaders through the power of sports. They have a mission of developing 50,000 female leaders annually.

The team’s ultimate goal is to build off the success of its women’s programming and continue strengthening its leadership position among female sports fans throughout the country.

“We want women to be able to network with one another and to find a community together to empower themselves and create a greater network that would benefit them personally and professionally,” Glazer Kassewitz told The Associated Press. “We have been doing women’s events for years, so this is not new for us, but this event is something that we really wanted to become a tentpole event for the Buccaneers organization to show our commitment to the female community in Tampa Bay and beyond, both women and girls.

Glazer Kassewitz, who along with her family launched the Buccaneers National Coaching Academy to create pathways for aspiring NFL coaches last year, pointed to a statistic that said 94% of women in executive positions played sports when they were younger.

“Our goal for this event is to support keeping girls in sports because there is a connection between girls, sports and leadership,” she said. “Supporting female leadership and the women in our community and championing the development of young girls into leaders is very important to my family.”

The weekend included a 5K run, walk and stroll on Saturday. More than 3,000 people participated. A market festival was held inside the team’s training facility featuring women-owned businesses, and there were curated tours throughout the complex that gave young girls an opportunity to learn more about the roles available within a professional sports organization.

Glazer Kassewitz joined one of the tours, engaged with the guests, asked questions, posed for pictures and highlighted for the girls several of the different jobs they could pursue in the future.

“This pillar of empowering women and developing young girls into leaders has been something that the Glazer family has been doing for more than 10 years,” said Kourtney Sanchez, chief impact officer for the Buccaneers. “Witnessing the incredible response to this inaugural event and feeling the energy here this weekend has reinforced the importance of this mission and reflected our continued commitment to keeping girls and women in the game.”

At the NFL Scouting Combine last month, the league held its ninth annual Women’s Forum as part of its ongoing, league-wide commitment to inclusion. More than 250 opportunities have emerged for women in all levels of football since the forum’s inception in 2017. Last season, the NFL had 15 full-time women coaches, a league record and most for any male professional sports league in the world.

“We know that as a league, we can’t reach our fullest potential without the success and hard work of our clubs uplifting their local communities,” Smith said. “Thanks to organizations like the Buccaneers, the NFL can continue to advance the game of football and provide unique opportunities for all.”

Smith called the summit “truly inspiring” and pointed out how women from different backgrounds came together to collaborate and uplift each other.

“I’m eager to see how these connections influence the game of football, impact the local Tampa community, and drive lasting momentum beyond the event, hopefully living on for years to come,” Smith said.

“She Is Football” weekend was such a hit that the Buccaneers have already announced the next one will be held March 6-7, 2026. Fans from other teams, including the divisional rival New Orleans Saints, showed their appreciation.

Originally conceived as a locally focused event held around the celebration of International Women’s Day, the weekend exceeded the organization’s expectations, drawing interest from women across the country who traveled to Tampa for a chance to grow their networks, celebrate their shared love of sports, and possibly find career inspiration.

“I was never at something like this where you could pick the brains of people that are in the positions that maybe someday, you want to be in, or ideas for positions that you want to create or build,” said NFL Network reporter Sara Walsh, who moderated the event and served as a mentor. “It really would have opened your eyes.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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