Jen Welter On Coaching -- And Living -- Under The Microscope

— -- Two months ago, Jen Welter made headlines when she became the first full-time coach in NFL history. The 37-year-old, who has a doctorate in psychology, spent the preseason as an intern with the Arizona Cardinals, coaching the team's linebackers. When the job ended two weeks ago, Welter continued making headlines -- for an entirely different reason.

News leaked that she had accepted an invitation from boxer Floyd Mayweather to travel to Las Vegas to accept an award at a Mayweather Promotions "Titans of the Trade," a breakfast held Saturday before the controversial fighter defeated Andre Berto in his final bout later that evening. Given Mayweather's history of battery and domestic violence, the story -- which Welter says was leaked by a member of her team, not Mayweather's -- created a firestorm.

On Monday, Welter talked about what her life has been like since July, specifically addressing the psychology around her decision to accept Mayweather's invitation.

How did the Cardinals' job come about?

I had to go out to Arizona for some other business, and so when I was there, I called [Cardinals coach] Bruce Arians and he asked me to come out to OTAs the next day. We had a great football conversation. It was actually a lot of stuff surrounding the game. He asked me about my dissertation [on the relationship between the Wonderlic test and the success of NFL quarterbacks] and my thoughts on the league today. ... After practice, he pulled me aside and he said, "I've heard you're phenomenal with the guys, I'm interested in your psychology." He said, "It's really in my heart to give you this internship, but I don't know if I can do it yet -- I'm going to have to get a lot of right 'yeses' to make this happen."