The Green Bay Packers have made a historic hire. The team hired Erin Roberge to be their first female full-time athletic trainer in their illustrious history.
Green Bay made Roberge’s hire official on Thursday. In a release, the team said, “The Green Bay Packers hired Erin Roberge as an assistant athletic trainer. The announcement was made Thursday by General Manager Brian Gutekunst. Roberge (ro-BAIRGE), who has been working with the Packers as an intern since the summer of 2020, is the first female full-time athletic trainer in franchise history.”
#Packers hire Erin Roberge as an assistant athletic trainer 📰 https://t.co/ho2e9c08Hk
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) January 12, 2023
Roberge attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison prior to joining the Packers as an intern, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training. She has since risen up the ladder and her historic promotion on Thursday is a major feat for women in sports.
The NFL world reacted to the historic hire after it was made official.
NFL Sr. Director Sam Rapoport tweeted, “Let’s keep this #forwardprogress going. Hell yes. Congrats, Erin.”
Let’s keep this #forwardprogress going. Hell yes. Congrats, Erin. @apminer15 https://t.co/WiDvS4Z2TV
— Sam Rapoport (@samrap10) January 12, 2023
The Wisconsin Athletic Trainers’ Association congratulated Erin on her groundbreaking hire.
Congratulations to Erin Roberge as she makes her mark in Green Bay! https://t.co/jKEdV3OYXi
— WI Athletic Trainers’ Association (@WATA_inc) January 12, 2023
Packers fan and Kansas play-by-play voice Brendan Dzwierzynski tweeted, “Football is for everyone. Congrats to Erin!”
Football is for everyone. Congrats to Erin! https://t.co/NjEUoC5C3p
— Brendan Dzwierzynski (@BrendanDzw) January 12, 2023
Kris Burke of Acme Packing Co. applauded the move to hire Roberge.
— Kris Burke (@KrisBurke) January 12, 2023
And PackersHistory.com had little to no issue calling critics out on the hire. “If your first thought after hearing that the Packers hired Erin Roberge as an assistant athletic trainer–the first woman to be a full-time trainer in franchise history–was something among the lines of ‘why’ or ‘oh great, a woman,’ please know I think you’re a pathetic little man!” they tweeted.
If your first thought after hearing that the Packers hired Erin Roberge as an assistant athletic trainer—the first woman to be a full-time trainer in franchise history—was something among the lines of “why” or “oh great, a woman”
Please know I think you’re a pathetic little man!
— PackersHistory.com (@PackersHistory1) January 13, 2023
[Packers]