SALT LAKE CITY (April 13, 2015) – Utah Jazz Head Athletic Trainer Gary Briggs, who has overseen the team’s training staff for the last 15 seasons, will retire following the conclusion of the 2014-15 NBA campaign. By season’s end, Briggs will have worked 3,013 of a possible 3,014 preseason, regular season and postseason games over his career, which originally began with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He will be recognized during tonight’s final Jazz home game against Dallas.
“While we may be losing a valued member of our day-to-day operations, Gary Briggs will forever remain a member of the Jazz family,” said Randy Rigby, president of the Jazz. “We have been very fortunate to have ‘Briggsy’ on our staff these past 15 years. He’s become a valued member of the community and we’ve enjoyed watching his family grow in our state.”
Briggs joined Utah in September of 2000, becoming only the third head athletic trainer in franchise history. Previously he spent 18 seasons with Cavaliers (1982-2000) where he was voted the 1999 Athletic Trainer of the Year. He also served as the head athletic trainer for the Eastern Conference at the 1995 and 1997 NBA All-Star Games.
“Gary has been one of the longest tenured and most respected trainers in the NBA,” said General Manager Dennis Lindsey. “He’s a consummate professional who will be greatly missed by our organization. On behalf of the franchise, we congratulate Gary on an incredible career and thank him and his family for their dedication to the Jazz.”
A native of Long Beach, Calif., Briggs began his athletic training career as a student assistant at the University of Florida. Prior to working in the NBA, he spent time at Morehead State University and Troy University. His wife of 32 years, Sue, teaches English at Salt Lake Community College and he has two daughters, Ashley and Courtney who both live in the greater Salt Lake area.