Woman's bid to become first female NFL player ends in failure after suffering injury two kicks into tryout

Lauren Silberman managed to kick 19 and 13 yards in her two attempts before aggravating a thigh injury which put paid to her NFL hopes.

Lauren Silberman warms up before her kicker tryouts at the NFL regional combine in New Jersey.

A former female soccer player's hopes of becoming the first women to play in the NFL have been dashed after she aggravated a thigh injury just two kicks into her tryout.

Lauren Silberman became the first woman to take part in NFL tryouts when she tried her luck at one of the regional 'combines' in New Jersey yesterday.

But the 28-year-old, bidding to be the first women to play in the sport since rules preventing female players were lifted two years ago, pulled up after just two kicks.

Silberman, who played club football for the University of Wisconsin, kicked 19 and 13 yards in her two attempts before calling over a trainer.

She later revealed she had suffered a quadriceps injury during training for the combine, which had flared up during her kicking attempts.

"Obviously, it was a very frustrating day because I wanted to show the world how well I could kick," she told the NFL's website. afterwards.

"I kept trying to work through it, but between the pain and the risk of further injury, I thought it was best to stop."

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