John Omohundro worked for the Cardinals from 1967 to 2009. 37 of those 42 years, he was the head athletic trainer. His time spanned from the time when Jim Hart was the starting quarterback in St. Louis to Kurt Warner leading the Cardinals to two division titles and a Super Bowl.
Omohundro will be honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year with four other trainers in the inaugural “Award of Excellence” Class of 2022.
From the Cardinals’ press release:
The “Award of Excellence” is part of the Hall’s effort to recognize outstanding contributions from members of four groups vital to the game’s success on the field and behind the scenes. The honor goes to individuals who have spent their football careers as assistant coaches, athletic trainers, equipment managers and public relations personnel.
Each of the four groups developed its own selection committee and criteria for the award. Those committees each chose five members for the inaugural Class of 2022. The other four athletic trainers joining Omohundro in the inaugural Award of Excellence class are George Anderson (Raiders), Otho Davis (Eagles), Jerry Rhea (Falcons) and Frank Zamberletti (Vikings). The five combined had over 150 years as professional athletic trainers in the NFL.
Recipients of the Awards of Excellence will be invited to the 2022 enshrinement week in August in Canton, OH and their names will be placed on display inside a designated area of the Hall of Fame Museum.
In addition to earning a permanent spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Omohundro and the four other trainers were also named to the inaugural class of the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS) Hall of Fame.
Omohundro worked 838 games over the course of his Cardinals’ employment with his final contest being Super Bowl XLIII in February of 2009.
What an honor for someone who spent so much time with the team. Congratulations to him, the team and to his family.
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