The Arizona Cardinals have made history by appointing the NFL's first female coach.

Jen Welter, who will be introduced at a news conference on Tuesday, has been hired as a pre-season intern for the team's training camp.

The 37-year-old will work with the Cardinals' inside linebackers at their home ground, the University of Phoenix Stadium.

The trailblazer last season became the first woman to coach in a men's professional league with the Texas Revolution, an indoor football league team.

Welter, who holds a master's degree in sport psychology, wrote on Twitter: 'I am honored to be a part of this amazing team.'

Cardinals Coach Bruce Arians told the team's website that after meeting her: 'I thought she was the type of person that could handle this in a very positive way for women and open that door.'

Welter played linebacker for more than 14 seasons with the Dallas Diamonds of the Women's Football Alliance.

She is not the first woman recently to break the glass ceiling in the testosterone-fuelled league.

The NFL hired Sarah Thomas for the 2015 season as the league's first full-time female official.