By John Turney 
In an effort to recognize significant contributors to the NFL, the Pro Football Hall of Fame last year created something called the Awards of Excellence program.
So what is it?
Good question. It's a means of honoring persons behind the scenes who help make players, teams and the NFL successful, and in 2022 it included 20 recipients from four categories- assistant coaches, athletic trainers, equipment managers and public relations personnel
Now, one year later, the Hall is back with its second annual Awards of Excellence winners --, only this time it adds a fifth category: film and video directors.
On Wednesday it announced its 2023 winners, some of whom you know ... most of whom you don't ... but all of whom the Hall deemed worthy of recognition.
"This year's group of 17 assistant coaches, athletic trainers, equipment managers, film/video directors and public relations personnel have impacted their clubs and the game of professional football positively," said Hall-of-Fame president Jim Porter, "and this program is a way to recognize that. Each recipient has dedicated decades of time to creating meaningful change for their respective fields, their teams and the National Football League."
Who are they? You're about to find out.
Film/Video directors - Mike Dougherty, Milan "Mickey" Dukich, Thom Fermstad, Henry Kunttu and Al Treml
The distinction of being the NFL's first full-time film director is held by Mickey Dukich. He was hired by Rams' head coach Sid Gillman in 1956, with cinematographer his official title. He stayed with the Rams through 1994, not making the move to St. Louis.
Treml began filming NFL games in 1964 and three years later was hired by Vince Lombardi, making him just the second full-time film director in league history. He served in Green Bay as the film/video director through the 2000 season.
Henry Kunttu was hired in 1969 by the Buffalo Bills and was in that job for 42 seasons. In addition to his work with the Bills, he has directed television commercials and industrial films.
Dick Vermeil hired Dougherty in 1976, and he served as the Eagles' film/video director through the 2012 season. He was instrumental in moving the NFL from film to videotape in 1986.
Joining the Seahawks as their film/video director when the franchise began in 1976, Fermstad held the job for 36 years. He had been with the Vikings for the three years prior when Jack Patera hired him to join him in Pacific Northwest.
Assistant coaches - Sherman Lewis, Tom Moore and Dante Scarnecchia
Moore, 84, first coached in the NFL in 1977 with the Steelers - the first of nine NFL teams that employed him, including Indianapolis where he was Peyton Manning's offensive coordinator during the quarterback's prime. He still works on the offensive staff of the Buccaneers.
Bill Walsh gave Sherm Lewis his start in the NFL after he spent 14 years as an assistant coach at Michigan State. He was later the offensive coordinator for Mike Holmgren in Green Bay and coached for Minnesota, Detroit and Washington.
Scarnecchia coached for the New England Patriots in various capacities from 1982-2019, with the exception of 1989 and 1990 when he was with the Colts. He was the offensive line coach for Bill Belichick and earned six Super Bowl rings.
Athletic trainers - J. Lindsy McLean, Bob Reese and Lamar "Bubba" Tyer
McLean served the 49ers from 1979-2003, earning five Super Bowl rings along the way. Prior to that, he served 16 years as a trainer for three universities.
Now a professor of psychology at Radford University, Reese was the Jets' head athletic trainer for just under 19 years (April 1977 through February 1996). Prior to that, he worked for the Bills as an assistant trainer from 1972-76.
Hired by George Allen in 1971, Tyer served as Washington's head trainer for 25 years ... then as director of sports medicine for another dozen years with the franchise.
He was called out of retirement briefly in 2021, the second time he was asked to return. He previously retired in 2003 but was convinced to return by Joe Gibbs when he began his second stint with the club.
Equipment managers - William T. "Buck" Buchanan, Robert "Bob" Noel and Bill Simmons
Buchanan was the equipment manager for the Dallas Cowboys from 1973-98 and was part of four NFL championships.
Noel was the Green Bay Packers' assistant equipment manager until 1977 when he was promoted to head equipment manager, a position he held through the 1993 season. In all, he spent 43 years with the franchise.
Simmons was the equipment manager for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1966-87. His son, Dan "Chief" Simmons, was a 2022 Awards of Excellence winner who worked for the elder Simmons in 1972 before moving on to the Saints where he worked 42 years as their equipment manager.
Public relations personnel - Greg Aiello, Kevin Byrne and Budd Thalman.
The NFL spokesman for 27 years, Aiello was the liaison between league executives (most notably the commissioner) and the media. He spent 39 years in the NFL, the first dozen with the Dallas Cowboys in public relations.
Byrne officially retired in 2020 but remained as a consultant to the Ravens' franchise, which he served for 41 seasons (including when they were the Cleveland Browns)..
Thalman was with the Buffalo Bills from 1973-86 and then served as sports information director for Penn State until he retired in 2001. Prior to his time with the Bills, he worked for the Associated Press and then as SID for the Naval Academy.
Recipients will be honored June 28-29 in Canton, Ohio.
Last year's Awards of Excellence winners were as follows:
Assistant Coaches - Alex Gibbs, Jimmy Raye, Terry Robiskie, Fritz Shurmur and Ernie Zampese
Athletic Trainers - George Anderson, Otho Davis, John Omohundro, Jerry Rhea and Fred Zamberletti
Equipment Managers - Sid Brooks, Ed Carroll, Tony Parisi, Dan “Chief” Simmons and Whitey Zimmerman
Public Relations personnel - Joe Browne, Charlie Dayton, Joe Gordon, Jim Saccomano and Gary Wright.
No comments:
Post a Comment