© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The 49ers will not retain offensive assistant Katie Sowers. Sowers, the first openly gay assistant in NFL history and first female assistant in 49ers history, worked mainly with the team’s wide receiver group under wide receivers coach Wes Welker.
According to the Mercury News’ Cam Inman, Sowers’ contract expired after four years and confirmed via text message that she will not be retained by the team.
“I will sadly not be back,” Sowers said.
Before joining the 49ers, Sowers was an intern with Kyle Shanahan in 2016 with the Atlanta Falcons.
Sowers was discernibly well-liked by players, who credited her for helping prepare them for games and supporting them. She was heavily involved in team drills. Kendrick Bourne said last year that during a two-drop preseason game in his rookie year, Sowers helped him get his mind right.
“I told her she ended up calming me down, and I had a good game, a real good game,” Bourne said. “I ended up making the team that year.”