Egbuka Honors Athletic Trainer Highlighting the Lasting Impact Beyond the Game

Recognition often shines brightest not in the spotlight, but in the relationships built behind the scenes.

When Tampa Bay Bucs wide receiver Emeka Egbuka finished fifth in NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year voting, the moment carried special meaning for another reason—he chose Ohio State physical therapist and Athletic Trainer Adam Stewart to present him as a finalist at NFL Honors.

Stewart, a 2010 Ohio State graduate with a degree in athletic training, later earned his doctorate in physical therapy from the University of Miami before returning to Columbus in 2015 to work with the Buckeyes football program.

For more than a decade, he has played a key role in supporting athletes both physically and personally, helping guide them through the challenges of high-level competition.

Ohio State’s athletic training account captured the significance of the moment, calling it:

“A meaningful acknowledgement of the lasting influence athletic trainers and physical therapists have on athletes, far beyond the training room.” The post continued, “Congratulations, Emeka, and thank you for shining a light on the relationships and support systems that help shape success at every level.”

For Stewart, the recognition reflected a deeper mission that began years earlier. In a recent post, he shared advice once given to him by former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer:

“Twelve years ago @urbanmeyercoach told me not to take the job at Ohio state if ACLs and hamstrings were all I cared about. He said only come here if you can have a positive impact on peoples lives.” Stewart added, “Thank you for seeing that in me @EgbukaEmeka and thank you for this experience.”

Moments like this highlight the lasting impact Athletic Trainers have—far beyond wins, awards, and the game itself. Check out the full story here!