Jen Welter put in years of work, before being announced as an Arizona Cardinals assistant coaching intern, and first female coach of any kind in the NFL, earlier this week.

But just because Welter paid her football dues, doesn't mean football paid her early on in her gridiron journey.

In formally being introduced by the Cardinals on Tuesday (July 28), Welter told a story about earning just $12 in her first professional football paycheck and keeping it in her purse for over 10 years now.

On Wednesday (July 29), ESPN.com took a photo of the check for all to see.

"I didn't start playing football to be here," Welter told ESPN. "The beauty of this, while it wasn't a dream I could have ever had, now it's a dream other girls can grow up having."

Ironically, Welter earned the check after helping to lead the Dallas Diamonds to the 2004 Women's Football Alliance championship title. She'd win three more titles with the Diamonds as part of her 14-year resume, playing linebacker in the Women's Football Alliance.

In February 2014, she played running back and special teams for the Texas Revolution of the Indoor Football League, becoming the first female to play a non-kicking position in a professional men's football league. This past February, she also became the first female coach for the Revolution, coaching linebackers and special teams.

If Welter has a strong showing during training camp and preseason, she could potentially earn a permanent assistant coaching role with the Cardinals. In the meantime, Tech Times sincerely hopes her assistant coaching internship is a paid internship...although the experience will be priceless.

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