Tag: Pro Football Hall of Fame

“Greek,” former Broncos trainer, recognized by Pro Football Hall of Fame

Former Broncos trainer Steve “Greek” Antonopulos received well-deserved recognition from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The longest-tenured member of the Denver Broncos, former trainer Steve “Greek” Antonopulos was recently recognized by the Pro Football Hall of Fame with an Award of Excellence.

This particular award recognizes “significant contributors to the game off the field.” Antonopulos was recognized alongside 14 additional Award of Excellence recipients from categories ranging from athletic trainers to public relations personnel. These unsung heroes each touched their particular teams in profound ways.

Antonopulos was a 45-year veteran of the Broncos, seeing them through all eight Super Bowl teams, treating the injuries of Hall of Famers Peyton Manning, John Elway, Shannon Sharpe and Terrell Davis, among the many other players he looked over. Antonopulos is also no stranger to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as he was the presenter for the late Pat Bowlen’s induction into Canton.

This award is just the latest of the hardware Antonopulos has won over the years. In 2011, he was awarded the Fain-Cain Memorial Award, an honor given annually to an NFL trainer who best exemplifies a long-term commitment to the NFL as well as exemplary performance. Antonopulos also received the NFL/PFATS Athletic Training Staff of the Year Award (1987), the National Athletic Trainers Association Athletic Trainer Service Award (1996) and the NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award (2006).

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Former Cowboys DC Monte Kiffin to be honored with Hall of Fame Award of Excellence

From @ToddBrock24f7: Kiffin was on staff in Dallas just 2 seasons, but the influence of one the game’s greatest defensive masterminds can still be felt today.

A former Cowboys coordinator and one of the greatest defensive minds in football history has received recognition from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Monte Kiffin was named this week as one of 15 recipients of the Hall of Fame’s Award of Excellence. This is the third year for the award, meant to honor assistant coaches, athletic trainers, equipment managers, public relations personnel and film/video directors who have made significant contributions to the sport. The recipients are not nominated or voted on by the Hall of Fame.

Kiffin served as the Cowboys defensive coordinator for the 2013 season in what was Jason Garrett’s third full year as head coach. He had already been coaching at the college and pro levels for over 45 years, created the revolutionary Tampa-2 defense, and won a Super Bowl ring with the Buccaneers by the time he came to Dallas.

Despite having a defensive roster anchored by DeMarcus Ware, Sean Lee and Jason Hatcher in a Pro Bowl year, the 2013 Cowboys struggled to just an 8-8 finish and missed the postseason.

Kiffin lost the DC job to Rod Marinelli for 2014 but stayed with the team as an assistant head coach for the defense. Dallas put together a 12-4 season, finished in a three-way tie for the NFC East title, and made it to the divisional round of the playoffs.

Kiffin’s fingerprints can be seen all over NFL defenses even today, and his influence still remains in Dallas. Mike McCarthy comes from the Marty Schottenheimer coaching tree, as did Kiffin. And the current Cowboys defense, which was put together by Dan Quinn, is based on philosophies Quinn developed under Pete Carroll, who in turn was mentored by Kiffin.

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Using safeties as linebackers, prioritizing speed over size, deploying multiple defenses from a single look, emphasizing takeaways and being willing to give up yards but not allowing teams to score — all are signatures of the scheme Kiffin invented.

Now 84, Kiffin works as a consultant and player personnel analyst at Ole Miss, where his son Lane is the head football coach.

Former offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese, equipment manager “Buck” Buchanan and longtime PR exec Greg Aiello are among the previous Awards of Excellence winners with Cowboys ties.

This year’s Awards of Excellence recipients will be recognized in Canton June 26-27.

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Former Lions athletic trainer earns honor from Pro Football Hall of Fame

Former Lions athletic trainer Dean Kleinschmidt earns honor from Pro Football Hall of Fame

On Wednesday afternoon the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced its Award of Excellence winners, and former Detroit Lions athletic trainer Dean Kleinschmidt is one of the recipients.

The Award of Excellence, first handed out in 2022, goes to assistant coaches, athletic trainers, equipment managers, film and video directors and public relations directors. The Hall does not participate in the nomination or voting process.

Kleinschmidt served as the Lions head athletic trainer from 2007 to 2014. Over that time he helped a lot of key players on the team stay on the field while also extending their careers. The prime years of Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson saw them take some brutal hits, but the trainers department always took care of them and they helped usher in a new era of Lions football.

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Kleinschmidt’s career was more than just Detroit, however — it spanned 40 years in the NFL. In a league that jokingly is referred to as Not For Long, Kleinschmidt had a lasting career and is a deserving recipient of the Award of Excellence from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Raiders longtime equipment manager Dick Romanski receives Hall of Fame Award of Excellence

Hall of Fame to honor legendary Raiders equipment mgr Dick Romanski

Since 1963, the name Romanski has been charged with handling the Silver & Black uniforms and equipment. For over five decades, that job belonged to the legendary Dick Romanski. That’s right, the same year Al Davis joined the Raiders, so too did Romanski.

And just as Davis passed the team onto his son Mark in 2011, upon Dick’s death in 2015, his son Bill took the mantle, keeping the handling of equipment in the family for six decades and counting.

Now the Pro Football Hall of Fame is honoring the late, great Romanski along with 14 others with Awards of Excellence.

Individuals from five categories who have helped drive the accomplishments of their profession, individual NFL clubs and the sport of pro football have been identified for Awards of Excellence under a program the Pro Football Hall of Fame launched in 2022 to recognize contributors to the game.

Romanski joined the Raiders right out of the Army. Davis insisted upon Romanski coming on board, thus beginning his long career handling the most iconic uniforms in all of sports, along with keeping the players donning those uniforms protected.

The Hall of Fame will recognize the 15 Awards of Excellence recipients in Canton with an evening reception June 26 and a luncheon June 27 emceed by Hall of Famer Dan Fouts.

Mike McDaniel’s comments about Julio Jones further prove why the WR should be in the Hall of Fame

Mike McDaniel knows just how special Julio Jones was in his prime.

As Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel pushes the NFL forward with his unique pre-snap concepts and utilization of speedy wide receivers, it’s easy to forget he worked with one of the best offensive players of a generation early in his coaching career.

McDaniel was an assistant on the legendary 2016 Atlanta Falcons offensive staff that featured Kyle Shanahan, Matt LaFleur, Raheem Morris, Bobby Turner and Mike LaFleur scheming up one of the best scoring offenses of the decade.

The fixture of that offensive attack was wide receiver Julio Jones, a likely first-ballot Hall of Famer who Shanahan featured as an unstoppable force during his time calling plays in Atlanta.

While the past couple of seasons might’ve clouded Jones’ absolute dominance on the field for some, McDaniel had no trouble remembering the time the NFL veteran receiver torched the Carolina Panthers secondary to the tune of 300 yards while speaking with This Is Football’s Kevin Clark.

However, the touchdown catch that McDaniel referenced, one where Jones mossed Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly and hauled it to the end zone, actually happened in 2015, Jones’ first year in a Shanahan offense.

One of the game’s brightest minds reminiscing over just how special Jones was at his peak is yet another reminder for why the former Falcons superstar might be one of the most underappreciated players ever at his position.

For starters, Jones was one of the four wideouts to make the NFL’s All-Decade Team alongside Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson and Antonio Brown.

He also led the entire NFL for the 2010s in yardage (12,125), was first in receiving yards per game (96.2), was third in receptions (797), was fifth in targets per game (15.2) and was 11th in total touchdowns (57).

If not for that whole 28-3 blown lead business, Jones’ Super Bowl 51 catch would be more immortalized as one of the greatest-ever in the big game.

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Heck, all you really need to do is watch Jones’ NFC championship game performance against the Green Bay Packers in 2017 to know just how game-changing of a talent that he was.

As McDaniels put, Jones was just doing things that defied expectations in his prime. He really is one of the best receivers to ever play in the NFL, and he deserves to be talked about as such.

A gold jacket and an eternal spot in Canton should await him once his career is over, though we’re curious if he’ll try to play another season to chase that elusive Super Bowl ring.

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Texans will play Bears in Hall of Fame Game

The Houston Texans will kickoff the NFL year with a preseason match against the Chicago Bears before the induction of Andre Johnson.

The Houston Texans will kick off the 2024 season in Canton, Ohio, for the annual Hall of Fame Game, the NFL announced Tuesday. Houston will play the Chicago Bears in the first preseason game of the new year on Aug. 1 at 8 p.m.

This game has significance to both teams with new Hall of Famers. Andre Johnson became the first player in Texans franchise history to be named to the Hall of Fame, while former Bears players Devin Hester, Steve McMichael and Julius Peppers will also be inducted.

The rest of the 2024 class includes Dwight Freeney, Randy Gradishar and Patrick Willis.

“It’s exciting playing in the Hall of Fame Game,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans told KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson at the NFL owners meetings. “I think the credit goes to Andre Johnson for him getting selected, the first Texan to be selected to into the Hall of Fame. For us to go up as a team to support Andre in the Hall of Fame Game, the first time as an organization playing in the Hall of Fame Game, I think it’s exciting to really kick off the 2024 season with our team being in the forefront.”

Houston has played in the Hall of Fame Game before, but not since 2002. The Texans played in the exhibition ahead of their inaugural season. It’s a full circle experience now that the Texans’ second-ever first-round pick will be enshrined.

It also kicks off a year of hype for the Texans, who are being lauded for their offseason moves as possible contenders in the AFC.

Bears to play Texans in Hall of Fame Game

The Bears will kick off the preseason against the Texans in the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, Aug. 1.

The Chicago Bears will kick off the preseason against the Houston Texans in the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. CT in Canton, Ohio.

It doesn’t really come as a surprise considering Chicago has three players being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year — return specialist Devin Hester, defensive tackle Steve McMichael and defensive end Julius Peppers, who will be enshrined on Saturday, Aug. 3.

Houston is represented by wide receiver Andre Johnson, who’s also being inducted alongside those three. Johnson is the first Texans player to be elected to the Hall of Fame.

The rest of the 2024 class includes Dwight Freeney, Randy Gradishar and Patrick Willis.

The Bears and Texans will also face each other during the regular season, so this is the first of two meetings. This could mark Caleb Williams’ Chicago debut (although starters typically don’t play in the Hall of Fame Game).

This will be the first of four preseason games for the Bears.

Chiefs K Harrison Butker aspires to long, Hall of Fame worthy career

Kansas City #Chiefs K Harrison Butker opened up about his career aspirations during a recent interview.

The Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LVIII team players are still basking in the well-earned glow of being champions. Point-of-view reactions and interviews regarding the latest championship season give a unique view of every player and their mindset moving forward.

Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker recently appeared on the Catholic current events show EWTN News in Depth. He opened up about his hopes to have a long career in the NFL that could end with enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“Well, I don’t really think about my goals in terms of stats,” Butker explained. “It’s hard not to think about the Hall of Fame. And as a kicker, if you want to get there, you have to have a long career. Morten Andersen, he kicked, I think, until (his) late 40s, early 50s.

“So you want to be a kicker, and you got to make it there, and you want to get there. You got to play for a long time. And I always wanted to get there to play until my late 40s and get in the Hall of Fame. But now, when you have a wife, and you have children, you start to think, Okay, how much of their life am I going to miss? When I have this six-month-long season?”

Butker will enter his eighth season with the Chiefs after being drafted in the seventh round by the Carolina Panthers in the 2017 NFL Draft. The 28-year-old has made All-Rookie teams and led the NFL in scoring in 2019.

“I’m at the facility seven days a week, pretty much,” Butker said. “I don’t want to miss their life because I am still their father, I’m still my wife’s husband, and I need to be present as much as I can in their life. So, there will be this kind of negotiation with myself as I continue, and hopefully, God blesses me with the ability to play for a long time. I’d love to be able to make that decision not to play when the time comes. But really, every season is up to him if he wants me to do well or not. Every kick is up to him if that’s going through the uprights or not.”

Butker’s health will be a significant factor in his hopeful Hall of Fame career, as kickers do not have the best chances to make the cut in most years. After battling an ankle injury in 2022, he returned with a solid and consistent 2023.

Dwight Freeney bestows Hall of Fame honor on Jim Irsay

Dwight Freeney wants the boss to present him in Canton.

Few owners can say they have the type of relationship with players that Jim Irsay has with the Indianapolis Colts. The recent request from Hall of Fame defensive end Dwight Freeney furthers that notion.

Irsay has been the presenter at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony for two of his players over the last decade. First, it was wide receiver Marvin Harrison in 2016. Then, it was running back Edgerrin James in 2020.

Now, the legendary Freeney will be added to the list of players who requested Irsay present them at their Hall of Fame induction.

Freeney was voted into the Hall of Fame as a part of the Class of 2024. He will officially be enshrined into Canton during the ceremony on Aug. 3.

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Texans great Andre Johnson reflects on Pro Football Hall of Fame selection

Texans legend Andre Johnson said being named to the Hall of Fame was one of the “best feelings that I’ve had in a very, very long time.”

As former Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson sat courtside at the Houston Rockets game with CEO and Chairman Cal McNair, his lovely wife Hannah, and former Texans defensive lineman Travis Johnson, he was asked a question by Cal that may have seemed like small talk at the time. Still, the conversation would impact Johnson for the rest of his life.

“Do you think you’ve got a good shot this year?” Mr. McNair asked Johnson during a Rockets timeout about his chances of being inducted into the 2024 Class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The stoic Johnson, who rarely shows emotions, answered the question how he responded to most questions throughout his playing and retirement days.

“If there’s a year for me to go in, it’s this year,” Johnson said. “He was like, ‘Really? You think so?’”

It was challenging for the 14-year veteran (which included 12 years with Houston), who was selected to two All-Pro teams and seven Pro Bowls during his playing days, to get a read on what Cal was asking him since they both keep the expression of a poker player who makes a living not allowing other players to see when they are bluffing. Johnson never knew that Mr. McNair was holding a huge secret from him.

One day later, the secret was revealed at Johnson’s home when he got a knock on the door from 2013 Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter, whom Johnson revered for his accomplishments on the football field to let him know that he had been selected to the 2024 Hall of Fame Class.

“It’s probably one of the best feelings that I’ve had in a very, very long time,” said the 2017 inaugural Houston Texans Ring of Honor inductee. “Just getting that knock at the door was very emotional, and it was just kind of a sense of closure to my career. I always said that I never ever thought of being a Hall of Famer, but to have that happen, it was a tremendous feeling.”

Houston drafted Johnson with the third overall pick in the 2003 NFL draft from the University of Miami, where he shined as a player, helping lead the Hurricanes to their fifth football national championship in 2001. He was the bright spot in Houston heading into their second full season of professional football activities after a brief hiatus when the Houston Oilers moved to Nashville, Tenn.

Johnson, 42, finished his NFL career ranked 11th in NFL history with 14,184 receiving yards and 1,062 receptions. He is the all-time franchise leader in receiving yards, receptions, and receiving touchdowns for the Texans.

Fans around Houston flooded social media during the 2024 NFL Honors in Las Vegas, Nev., when the announcement was made that Johnson had finally been selected. Many of those fans were just as celebratory on the local sports radio shows the next day in support of one of the biggest Texans legends.

On Wednesday, Johnson acknowledged those fans during his press conference.

“I don’t think this (Hall of Fame) was only just for me,” Johnson said. “This was for the whole city of Houston. It’s for the whole organization. Grown men telling me they were crying. Having people tell you, ‘God gave us a superhero here in Houston.’ Those are things that you don’t even realize how people look up to you or you playing that game can affect a city.”

Johnson also warned the organizers of the induction ceremony about what is about to happen in August now that he has been selected.

“I already told people in Canton that they better get ready, because Houston’s going to show up and show out,” Johnson said with a smile. “The love I’ve received from this city and the fans, it’s truly been great.

“It’s been a fun time. I know that they are super, super excited for this to be happening. Honestly, I can’t wait to see what happens in Canton. I hear it. I could be in the grocery store or wherever, and all you hear is, ‘If they let you in Canton, we’re coming.’ So, I know there will be a lot of people there, and I know it will be a great moment for everybody.”