Chiefs ATC inducted into NATA Hall of Fame

Kansas City Chiefs head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder earned yet another award last week.

After earning a Super Bowl title with the Chiefs in February, Burkholder — along with six others — was inducted into the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame.

Burkholder was recognized last week at the annual NATA Expo & Symposium, held in Indianapolis, following his 11th season with the Chiefs.

A recent story from KSN.com detailed Burkholder’s impact on the Chiefs program and its players over the years.

Below is an excerpt from the KSN.com story.

Burkholder and Chiefs head coach Andy Reid have been together for more than 20 seasons between their times in Philadelphia and Kansas City. Before he joined the Eagles’ staff, Burkholder started his NFL career as an assistant with the Pittsburgh Steelers for six seasons.

Burkholder has also been the President of the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society where he made his mark by fighting for gender equality among the NFL’s athletic trainers and emphasizing the importance of athletic trainers at all levels of football.

His HOF induction adds to the list of NATA honors that Burkholder has taken home. In 2016, he earned the NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. In 2017, Burkholder received the NATA’s President’s Award, which signifies those who make an outstanding impact on the athletic trainer profession. He’s also previously taken home the NATA Athletic Training Service Award.

Athletic training is part of the family business for the Burkholders as Rick and his father Richard are the only father-son duo to have achieved this honor.

All of these honors are the complete opposite of the comments on the Chiefs’ NFLPA report card that reported that he does not treat players fairly and consistently or with personal care.