Pro Football Hall of Fame to present ‘Awards of Excellence’

CANTON, Ohio (AP) — The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Friday it will present “Awards of Excellence” after the Super Bowl in February to honor longtime assistant coaches, athletic trainers, equipment managers and public relations personnel.

Winners of the awards will have their names placed on a display inside the Hall of Fame Museum next year.

The Hall of Fame said in a release it is creating the awards to “honor individuals who affect professional football in a positive manner.” The four groups being recognized are “vital to the game’s growth, safety, popularity and its overall success both on the field and behind the

scenes.”

Each group will have five inaugural members chosen by selection committee members designated for each category.

Among those on the assistant coaches committee are Pro Football Hall of Fame coaches Tony Dungy and Bill

Cowher, former NFL coach and general manager Mike Holmgren, and former offensive coordinators Jimmy Raye and Terry

Robiskie.

“We are very excited to put a spotlight on these important professions within the game,” said Saleem Choudhry,

Vice President of Museum/Exhibit Services. “There are hundreds of individuals who have made professional football the most popular sport in the United States. This is an opportunity to honor how they have helped build the Game.”