The storied history of the NFL is forever entwined with the Green Bay Packers. Dating back to its first season in 1919, the Packers are older than the NFL as the team joined the American Professional Football Association in 1921, which would later become the NFL.
Since the first Pro Football Hall of Fame class in 1963, 36 players, coaches or staff have come from the Packers. Most recently, wide receiver Sterling Sharpe was announced as an inductee from the Hall of Fame's 2025 class.
On Friday, the Packers announced that former athletic trainer Pepper Burruss would receive the Pro Football Hall of Fame Award of Excellence later this year.
Joining Burruss are two other former NFL athletic trainers, Ed Block of the Baltimore Colts and John Norwig of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who will be participating in the June ceremony.
Burruss began his career with the New York Jets in 1977 and joined Green Bay in 1993. He worked with the Packers for 26 years and retired in 2019.
Upon his retirement, Burruss shared his feelings about leaving the organization in a story on the Packers' official website.
"Every time I walk out of the building now, I walk across the locker room," Burruss said. "One of the memories will be the fact that I walked across the locker room instead of through a glass or revolving door."
Burruss was named the NFL Physicians Society's Outstanding NFL Athletic Trainer in 2012.
