PFATS Announces 2022 Hall of Fame Inductees

FEBRUARY 16, 2022. The Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS) is pleased to announce the inaugural class of the PFATS Hall of Fame. These inductees represent a dedicated history of the profession of athletic training and enshrine their legacies as Hall of Famers.  

The 2022 PFATS Hall of Fame inaugural class is made up of George Anderson, Otho Davis, Johnny Omohundro, Jerry Rhea and Fred Zamberletti. Combined, these former PFATS members had over 150 years as professional athletic trainers in the National Football League (NFL).

“As we induct our inaugural class of the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society Hall of Fame, we could not have imagined a more distinguished and revered group of men. These former Professional Football Athletic Trainers and PFATS members embody just want it means to provide best-in-class healthcare to the athletes we serve. They have dedicated most of their lives to the profession of athletic training and the organizations they worked for. They are among the most recognized and respected members of our professional society and we consider them members of our family. Now, are excited to recognize them as hall of famers. We are honored and excited to welcome these legends into the first class of the PFATS Hall of Fame.,” says Reggie Scott, PFATS President.

George Anderson served as Head Athletic Trainer for the Oakland Raiders from 1960-1994 and was the first head athletic trainer in the history of the Raiders organization. The creation of the Anderson Knee Stabilizer in the 1970s was among George’s many contributions to the profession. After graduation from San Jose State, George worked as an athletic trainer in Texas and at USC and UC Berkeley before joining the Raiders. Anderson was inducted into the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Hall of Fame in 1986.

Otho Davis was the Head Athletic Trainer of the Philadelphia Eagles from 1973 to 1995. He was voted into the team's Hall of Fame in 1999. Otho was a five-time recipient of the National Athletic Trainers Association's (NATA) Professional Trainer of the Year award and was also a member of the Athletic Trainers Hall of Fame. From 1971-89, Mr. Davis served as the executive director of the NATA where the national headquarters office building in Dallas is named in his honor. Before joining the Philadelphia Eagles, Otho was the Head Athletic Trainer for Kent State University from 1957-65. He joined Duke University in 1965 and in 1971, Otho joined the Baltimore Colts. He was a member of the Board of Advisors of the Ed Block Courage Award, PFATS Executive Committee Member and was named to John Madden’s All Madden Team in 1999 as the all time athletic trainer.

John Omohundro served as the Head Athletic Trainer years with the Arizona Cardinals from 1971-2008. He was an Assistant Athletic Trainer with the organization from 1967-1971. During his 42 seasons with the Cardinals, John was a charter member of PFATS, recipient of the PFATS Distinguished Alumni Award and received the of the National Football Physicians Society Fain Cain Award. In 1993, John and his athletic training staff with the Cardinals were the recipients of the Ed Block Courage Award for NFL Athletic Training Staff of the Year.

Jerry Rhea was the Head Athletic Trainer for the Atlanta Falcons from 1969-1994. Before joining the Falcons, he served as an Assistant Athletic Trainer for the Los Angeles Rams. He previously served as President of the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation and was elected President of SEATA in 1982 and became District IX Director in 1984. Jerry was elected president of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) and served from 1986-88 and served on many NATA committees. Mr. Rhea was named the NATA Professional Athletic Trainer of the Year 1979 and 1982.  He was inducted into the NATA Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Southwest Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame in 1987. He received the SEATA Award of Merit in 1988 and the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Distinguished Service Athletic Trainer Award in 1991. In 2001 Jerry received the Tim Kerin Excellence in Athletic Training Award and in 2004 he was an inductee in the inaugural Georgia Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame which also honored him with an annual award in his name, the Jerry Rhea Athletic Trainer of the Year Award. The Atlanta Falcons honored Mr. Rhea by endowing an NATA Foundation Scholarship and as well as both an undergraduate and graduate SEATA Scholarship in his name. PFATS created the Jerry “Hawk” Rhea Award in his honor that is given to the NFL team physician who has made the greatest contributions to both the NFL and profession of athletic training.

Fred Zamberletti was the Head Athletic Trainer with the Minnesota Vikings from 1961-1998. He served as Coordinator of Medical Services from 1999-2001 and Senior Consultant and Team Historian from 2002-2018 and is a member of the Vikings Ring of Honor. Prior to his decorated career with the Vikings, Fred served as chief physical therapist at Hibbing General Hospital in 1959 and Head Athletic Trainer at the University of Toledo in 1960. He is a member of the Minnesota Athletic Trainers Hall of Fame and received the Professional Athletic Trainer of the Year in 1986 by the Drackett Company of Cincinnati. His Vikings athletic training staff earned the 1996 NFL Athletic Training Staff of the Year award. In 1999 he earned the Cain Fain Award at the NFL Physicians Sports Sciences Symposium and was an Honorary Fellow of the Minneapolis Sports Medicine Center. Fred was recognized by the governor as an Honorary Ambassador of the State of Minnesota and also received the Minneapolis Honorary Citizen Award. In 2011, Zamberletti was recognized by his alma mater with the Distinguished Alumni Award.

In addition to the PFATS Hall of Fame, these five former PFATS members will be inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH as recipients of the Award of Excellence.

 “It’s a great honor that we are able to recognize some of the pioneers in Athletic Training whom have paved the way for us in the NFL. These five gentlemen have embodied what it truly meant to be a Professional Football Athletic Trainer by carrying out our society’s slogan – “PFATS cares to make a difference”. We are excited to honor new recipients every year with hopes to someday induct one of our deserving brothers or sisters into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH.” commented, Justin Maher, Assistant Athletic Trainer/Physical Therapist with the New York Giants and PFATS Hall of Fame Committee Chair.

For more information about PFATS, please visit us at http://www.pfats.com.

About PFATS
The Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS) represents the athletic trainers of the National Football League. PFATS serves the players of the NFL, the member clubs, and other members of the athletic training community. PFATS’ purpose is to ensure the highest quality of health care is provided to the athletes of the National Football League. PFATS is dedicated to the welfare of its members and committed to the promotion and advancement of athletic training through education and research. The society is founded on the professional integrity and the ethical standards of its members and the fellowship that exists among members. For more information please see www.pfats.com

# # #