Buffalo Bills hire NFL's first full-time female assistant coach

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills have hired Kathryn Smith to be their special teams quality control coach, making her the first full-time female member of an NFL coaching staff.

The team announced the move in a release Wednesday night.

“Kathryn Smith has done an outstanding job in the seven years that she has worked with our staff,” said Bills Head Coach Rex Ryan. “She certainly deserves this promotion based on her knowledge and strong commitment, just to name a couple of her outstanding qualities, and I just know she’s going to do a great job serving in the role of Quality Control-Special Teams.”

Smith spent last season working as an administrative assistant for Bills assistant coaches on Rex Ryan's staff.

She spent the previous 12 seasons working for the New York Jets in various capacities, including a player personnel assistant from 2007-13.

In 2014, Smith served as the Jets assistant to the head coach in Ryan's final season in New York.

In her new role, Smith will assist special teams coordinator Danny Crossman and his assistant Eric Smith.