The Washington Commanders have named Al Bellamy the team’s new head athletic trainer. The team announced Bellamy’s hiring on Monday. He replaces the now former athletic trainer Ryan Vermillion.
Washington was in need of an athletic trainer. Vermillion, who joined the Commanders in 2020, was placed on administrative leave in October after the Drugs Enforcement Administration agents conducted a federal raid of the team’s facility.
The DEA has an ongoing investigation of Vermillion. But, no charges have been filed.
The Commanders went the remainder of the 2021 season without a permanent head trainer. They instead used a couple of volunteers to fill the void. The team went ahead this offseason with the interview process to find a new head athletic trainer.
Washington did not mention Vermillion or his status with the team in its press release of Bellamy’s hire.
Bellamy is an alum of Archbishop John Carroll High School in Washington, D.C.
This will be Bellamy’s second stint with the Washington franchise. He started his NFL career as an assistant trainer for the team in 1988 and was part of their medical staff during their Super Bowl XXVI season in 1991.
He has 25 years of NFL experience with 13 seasons in Washington and 12 with the Detroit Lions. However, he spent the past nine years on the college level as the director of athletic training at Temple.
