“Show young girls and women around the world that anything is possible.” This was Carli Lloyd’s mindset when she entered the gridiron at an Eagles training camp in 2019. In a rather unexpected but not entirely surprising scene, the USWNT legend assumed the position of a kicker during a team practice day. To further add to the unanticipated situation, Lloyd was successful in nailing the 55-yard field goal; turning into a calling card for her.

In a candid conversation on the Up and Adams Show, Lloyd revealed the reality behind the 5-year-old rumors about her receiving offers from the National Football League. “I did, yeah. It was pretty serious with a couple of teams. It worked out the way that it was supposed to work out and that’s all that matters. But yeah, it was a cool experience,” remarked the two-time Olympic gold medalist.

To no one’s surprise, the position offered to the player was of a kicker, where she would have held the burden of scoring field goals successfully for three points. The 42-year-old would also have a role to play after a touchdown, getting a chance to secure an extra point for her team. While her addition to the league would have been monumental, the switch of the sport for Carli was just not meant to be.

Yet, the revelation of the offers made to the four-time Olympian by her then-trainer, James Galanis, remains a badge of honor for the athlete. In a conversation with Fox Sports five years ago, multiple teams had been intrigued and persistent to make a place for Lloyd in their squad. “She got another call from another NFL team. They were pulling to put her on the roster,” Galanis revealed.

But the soccer star’s schedule was packed. With the USWNT set to face Portugal on the same day as the NFL game, the 2x World Cup champion needed time to prep for this major sport switch. “Knowing Carli, she would need a couple of weeks of training just to get comfortable and acclimatized,” the trainer added. “Things have escalated and it is real, but I don’t think she’d just hop on and do it, though.”

While the experience had been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the soccer star, it would only be later that she would realize the gravity of her presence on a football field as a player.

Carli Lloyd’s “pioneering moment,” among other gripping narratives from female football players

Recalling the special moments after the field goal, in a conversation with NBC Sports, Lloyd remarked, “When we got in the car, it was unbelievable. The texts, the videos, everything going viral. I had no idea. It was insane. It still is insane. I could not believe the attention on social media. I just had a conversation with Randy (Brown, assistant special teams coach with the Ravens), actually. The coaches and his GM, they all saw the video. They were like, What is she doing next week? I’m laughing about it, but the more I think about it, this has the chance to be sort of a pioneering moment for women.”

As it could be grasped from her words, the soccer star had not anticipated the response she got. Yet, with the results of her actions pouring in, she was able to comprehend the proud gazes lingering on her. However, Carli Lloyd is not the only name that has been a source of hope for women interested in pursuing a football career.

Back in 1970, Patricia Paliankas played a significant role in the journey as she became the first woman to play professional football, though outside of the NFL. Liz Heaston in 1997 was the first woman to play and score in a college football game, positioned as a placekicker for the Willamette Bearcats. While the actual presence of a female player on the gridiron is yet to be witnessed officially, the moments that almost bridged the gap remain just as historical.

More often than not, it is the position of the kicker that has attached the names of athletes like Becca Longo, Julie Harshbarger, and Katie Hnida to the game of football. The latest addition to the inspiring stories has been the journey of Antoinette “Toni” Harris. The now sports host once wanted to join the NFL after she received a scholarship offer from Bethany College, an NAIA school in Kansas.

She had been the first female player to join a college football roster in a position other than a kicker. Being a free safety for East Los Angeles College, California, she also had the honor of being the first one to receive a sports scholarship offer for football. “It’s pretty crazy,” Harris said. “It’s overwhelming but exciting at the same time.”

Bethany College coach Paul Hubbard reiterated the same in his comments to ESPN, stating, “Plenty of females that have played, but [Harris] would be the first at a skill position.” While the success story is a delight to the ears, the journey had been a tough hill to climb for the player. “A lot of coaches didn’t believe in me,” she said. “A coach told me nobody’s ever going to play you to be at the next level. In the end, you’ve got to push yourself. I’m going to focus on my goals.”

Much like Carli Lloyd, all these women football players have placed a stepping stone for the athletes to come. Now, with their gazes on the gridiron, even young girls would dream of playing in the NFL.