The Ravens have long known they've had one of the NFL's best team physicians with Dr. Andrew Tucker, and the rest of the league has recognized it too.
Last week, Dr. Tucker was awarded the prestigious Jerry "Hawk" Rhea Award honoring him as an outstanding NFL team physician by the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS).
The award was given to Dr. Tucker at the NFL Physicians Society (NFLPS) Annual Scientific Meeting during the Combine. It's given annually to the NFL team physician who has made the "greatest contributions to both the NFL and the profession of athletic training."
"Dr. Tucker has been an excellent physician and mentor to countless healthcare professionals and athletes alike over the years. He absolutely has been that for me since I came to this organization," said Ravens Head Athletic Trainer Adrian Dixon. "I am honored to be associated with him. He is a very distinguished but humble man who is very deserving of this honor."
Dr. Tucker has been with the Ravens since the team's inception in 1996. He spent five years prior to that as the Cleveland Browns' team physician and has been providing care to athletes at all levels for more than 30 years. He also works with MedStar Health.
He was the President of the NFL Physicians Society during the 2007 and 2008 seasons, and recently served as the Chairman of the NFL General Medical Committee.
Dr. Tucker's clinical research includes cardiovascular health and screening in athletes and sports concussion in pediatric and adult athletes. He is published in multiple medical journals and has written book chapters on a variety of sports health topics, including concussion, pre-participation examinations, and musculoskeletal injuries and disorders.
"Team physicians, like Dr. Andrew Tucker, play such an important role in our medical care for patients. It gives me great pleasure to give this year's Jerry 'Hawk' Rhea Award to someone as deserving as Dr. Tucker as he has been a pillar in the athletic training room for over 25 years," said Reggie Scott, Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance for the Los Angeles Rams and President of the PFATS.
